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UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
BOSTON
LIBRARY
E
271
H74
Model of the Bon Homme Richard, now in the collection of
Mr. Junius S. Morgan of new York, scale ir, inch = i foot.
BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
BY
OCTAVIUS THORNDIKE HOWE, M.D.
REPRINTED FROM
THE PUBLICATIONS
OF
CETlje Colonial ^ociet^ of spa00acl)u0ettflf
Vol. XXIV
CAMBRIDGE
JOHN WILSON AND SON
lL\}t ?anibrt8ttg ^rtss
1922
UNIV. OF MASSACHUSETTS
AT BOSTON . LIBRARY
BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
BEVERLY PRIVATEERS
IN THE
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Introduction
At the opening of the War of the Revolution Beverly numbered
about 3000 inhabitants. Its sea coast extended for six miles along
the north shore in alternate sections of rocky point and sandy beach.
Back from the shore line, from ^Manchester on the east to Wenham
on the north and Danvers on the west, the land, broken and rolling,
was dotted with farms and partly covered with pine woods. The
soil was fairly fertile for New England and watered by numerous
brooks. The inhabitants were farmers tilling their own farms.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 319
fishermen, mariners, merchants, professional men, and the mechanics
and middlemen necessary in every village. Manufactures were only
such as commerce and fishing necessitated, rope making, sail making
and probably some ship building. There were five small distilleries
where molasses from the West Indies was converted into rum.
The harbor was for vessels of the size used in those days, a safe,
convenient and fairly deep one. In the harbor between the Point
and the site of the bridge now connecting Beverly and Salem lay
the wharves, the first, counting from the ocean side. Union wharf,
now Guffey's, next Bartlett's and Glover's, later occupied by Colonel
Israel Thorndike. At the head of this wharf on Water Street w^as a
large storehouse with an archway entrance from the street. Next
Lovett's and Standley's wharf, then Stephen Nourse's wharf, later
occupied by Nourse & Stephens, next followed in order, Pickard
and Woodbury's, J. & H. jMorgan's, Foster and Lovett's, Picket's,
Ober's now Preston's, Deacon John Safford's, and Distillery wharf.
There were also a few wharves in Bass River, used during the war
for captured prizes. At the head of the wharves and along Water
Street w^ere the warehouses of the Beverly merchants, and along the
shore from the Point toward the Cove were the fish flakes where the
salted cod were dried in the sun. IMost of the merchants and im-
porters did a retail as well as wholesale business, selling to the fisher-
men, salt, nets, lines and clothing, and exchanging dress goods, rum,
sugar, linen and flour for fish, grain, lumber and country produce.
Prior to the Revolutionary War Beverly was essentially a fishing
village and all its commerce was based on this staple. In 1772
the fishing fleet consisted of 30 vessels of the following ownership,
tonnage and value:
VESSELS
NAMES OP OWNERS ^^^^^
Benj. Davis 3
Josiah Batchelder 2
Thomas Woodberry 1
Jonathan Lovett 2J^
William Bartlett 2
Thomas Stephens 1%
Israel Thorndike 6%
J. & A. Cabot 2
P. Obear & Co 2}^
Carried forward 2Z}4 1030 5400
TONNAGE
VALUE
IN POUNDS
160
900
120
600
55
300
150
750
120
600
90
450
150
900
120
600
65
300
320 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
\rTPCici'pT CI VAT TTT^
NAAIES OF OWNERS ^^^^ TONNAGE ^^ ^^^^^^
Brought forward 233^ 1030 5400
H. Thorndike 1 65 300
Benj. Ober 1 65 300
Isaac Thorndike 1 55 300
Zebulan Ray 1 60 300
Benj. Dodge 1 60 300
Benj. Lovett 2_ J^ _600
30K 1465 7500
The whole value of the fishing industry is given as 17,825 pounds.
Most of the fishing vessels were schooners and all small enough to
trade, when not fishing, with the West Indies, a trade restricted by
both France and England to vessels of seventy tons or under. The
best cod fish were sent to Spain, the inferior to the West Indies.
The total value of the exports from Beverly in 1772 is not obtain-
able, but besides fish the merchants of Beverly exported masts,
spars, and manufactured lumber in its various forms. Vessels
engaged in foreign trade were as follows:
NO. OF VALUE
NAMES OF OWNERS VESSELS TONNAGE ^^^ pouXDS
Thomas Davis 1 100 300
Josiah Batchelder 1 60 300
Livermore Whittredge 1 90 300
Isaac Thorndike 1 80 300
J. & A. Cabot 2 300 940
S. Raymond 1 90 350
John Dyson 1 90 400
Israel Thorndike ......... _2 100 600
10 910 3490
There was also a coasting trade to Maine for lumber, to Maryland
and Virginia for flour, and to Carolina for rice, not to mention the
West India trade, which was large, and both coasting and fishing
vessels were used in this. The total tonnage of the town, probably
underestimated, is given as 2406 tons.^ In 1772 the value of the
real estate in Beverly is given as 113,000 pounds, personal property
45,000 pounds, making the total valuation 158,000 pounds. In 1775
the fishing fleet consisted of 35 schooners manned by over 300 men.
In 1775 Beverly was only surpassed in Essex County by Salem and
Newbur>T3ort in the w^ealth, and by Ipswich, INIarblehead, Salem,
and Newburyport, in the number of its inhabitants. It had many
1 Nathan Dane Papers (Massachusetts Historical Society).
1922] BEVEKLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 321
stores, seventy is the number given, and rivalled or surpassed Salem
in the quantity and quality of the merchandise offered. This was
chiefly due to the large importing house of J. & A. Cabot. The firm
doing business under this name consisted of George Cabot,^ Joseph
Lee,- John and Andrew Cabot, and they had gradually built up a
large business making the Spanish trade a specialty. Their agents
and correspondents in that country were the firm of Joseph Gardoqui
& Sons and as early as 1770 their vessels, under command of George
Cabot, Stephen Cleveland, and Benjamin Lovett, were shipping the
catch of the Beverly fishermen to Bilbao and bringing back salt,
iron, cordage, silks, linen, and liquors to the home port. Occasionally
they sent vessels to Charleston for rice and to Virginia for tobacco
and shipped thence to their correspondents in Bilbao.
Next in importance to the Cabots was the firm of Brown &
Thorndike. The senior partner, jMoses Brown,^ moved to Beverly
in 1772 and a few years after formed a partnership with his brother-
in-law, Israel Thorndike.^ ]\Ir. Brown was a public spirited man,
enthusiastic in the cause of American independence, a sergeant in
Larkin Thorndike's company at Lexington, and an officer in several
of the battles of the Revolution. His partner, Israel Thorndike, was
a young man of great virility and ambition and as an officer of the
State navy and commander of several privateers did good service
to the public cause. The firm dealt largely in broadcloths, velvets
and dress goods, and also sold supplies to the fishermen.
One of the oldest houses was that of John & Thomas Stephens.
They were of old Beverly stock, descendants of John Stephens who
came over in 1700. The firm owned several merchant and fishing
vessels and did a general importing business. Other prominent
business men were Josiah Batchelder, Jr.,^ mariner, captain, mer-
1 George Cabot (1751-1823), United States Senator, President of the Hart-
ford Convention, etc.
2 Joseph Lee (1744-1831), born in Salem.
3 Moses Brown (1748-1820), bom at Waltham; H. C. 176S; raised and com-
manded a company which left Beverly August 9, 1777; present at the battles
of Long Island, Trenton, and Harlem Heights.
* Israel Thorndike (1755-1825), son of Andrew and Anna (Morgan) Thorn-
dike.
6 Josiah Batchelder, Jr. (1737-1828), representative to the General Court;
member of Congress; innholder; surveyor of the port of Beverly.
322 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jait.
chant, shipowner and poHtician; William Bartlett/ first Naval Agent
in iMassaehusetts for the new republic; Larkin Thorndike, soldier,
merchant and shipowner; John Dyson, William Homans,^ Thomas
Davis,^ Jonathan Lovett, William Leach,^ Livermore Whittredge,^
Benjamin Lovett, Thomas Woodberry,^ and Ebenezer Ellingwood.
Although the above names appear most often in the mercantile
and privateering history of Beverly as owners of vessels and privateers,
it must be remembered that they were by no means sole owners of
the vessels credited to them. As a matter of policy and insurance a
merchant preferred to own only a sufficient share of a vessel to give
him control and the balance, often a half interest, was held by men
whose names do not appear. Most of the vessels sailing from Beverly
in the first three years of the war were manned by Beverly crews
and always, included a strong contingent of Lovetts, Herricks, Gages,
Thorndikes, Batchelders, Ellingwoods, Fosters, Obers, and Wood-
berrys, and the two latter families could have oflficered and manned
a large privateer with men of their own name.
The citizens of Beverly had been zealous in resisting what seemed
to them the tyranny of Great Britain, had, like all the other sea port
towns, evaded the Navigation law, applauded the destruction of tea,
sympathized with Boston over the Port Bill and contributed liberally
to the poor of that city. Their Committee of Correspondence
included such names as John Leach, Benjamin Jones, Henry Herrick,
Samuel Goodridge, Josiah Batchelder, Joshua Cleves, Nicholas
Thorndike, Andrew Cabot, Joseph Wood, Livermore Whittredge,
Israel Thorndike, Edward Giles, William Dodge, William Taylor,
John Lovett, 3rd, Thomas Stephens, and Josiah Batchelder, Jr.
These men and many like them made Beverly a town whose naval
history stands second to none in the records of the American
Revolution.
1 William Bartlett (1745-1809), fourth in descent from William Bartlett
of Frampton, Dorset, England.
2 William Homans (1749-1S37), born at Marblehead, died in Beverly.
^ Thomas Davis, born September 25, 1755, son of Thomas and Abigail
(Stephens) Davis of Salem.
. " WilUam Leach (1758-1838).
^ Livermore Whittredge, born Februarj' 24, 1740; descended from William
Whittredge, who came over in 1635 and settled in Ipswich.
6 Thomas Woodberry, born May 10, 1743, son of Thomas and Lucy (Herrick)
Woodberry.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 323
In writing a history of the privateers of Beverly, one encounters
certain difficulties which lead to unavoidable omissions and occa-
sional confusion. Salem and Beverly had one custom house and one
naval oflficer, and vessels really belonging to Beverly were often
credited to Salem. The Salem Gazette, the natural source of infor-
mation about Beverly vessels, was not published from soon after
the beginning of the war until 1781.-^ The petitions for commissions
for commanders of private armed vessels in the INIassachusetts
Archives were usually signed by agents and do not necessarily give
information of the real owner, and in addition are themselves de-
fective. A paucity of nomenclature, so that for example there were
24 Dolphins and 14 Fortunes sailing as privateers during the war,
and the curious custom of giving a new vessel the name of one lost
or taken by the enemy, add to the confusion. Changes of name,
rig, and ownership occur with startling rapidity, and these, with a
general looseness of statement and an astonishing inaccuracy of
description, characteristic of the times, make the puzzle a hard one
to unravel. For these and other reasons there were probably more
privateer and letter of marque vessels sailing from Beverly during
the war than are described in these pages. The spelling of family
names follows as far as possible that found in the Massachusetts
Archives, but as names are sometimes spelled in two ways in the
same petition it hardly seems necessary to be particular. No vessels
have been included unless sailing from or partly owned in Beverly.
It is the opinion of some critics, including such an authority as
Captain Mahan, that privateering as a means of injuring the enemy
is inferior in its results to the use of state and national vessels. This
is probably true, but it presupposes that the money spent in equip-
ping private armed vessels would be expended on the navy and that
the men manning the vessels would enlist in the national service.
As a matter of fact in the Revolutionary war it would have been
impossible to raise by taxation a tithe of the monej^ spent on private
armed vessels and had the State owned the vessels they could have
been filled only by impressment. The red tape and rigid discipline
1 For the newspapers of Salem, see Proceedings American Antiquarian Society,
XXV. 463-476.
324 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
of a public vessel did not appeal to men as did the freer life of a
privateer; and state ownership was regarded by shipowners as less
efficient than private control.
George Washington took command of the army at Cambridge,
July 3, 1775, but it was not until September that he found time to
take up the question of warfare upon the sea. Already Rhode Island
and Connecticut had ordered the equipment of armed vessels. South
Carolina and Georgia had cruizers afloat, and a sloop from Phila-
delphia had taken the magazine at New Providence. It is probable
that privateers from Massachusetts without commissions were already
cruizing, but it was not until September 2, 1775, that the first regular
commission was issued. On that date, acting under general powers.
General Washington writes to Nicholas Broughton of Marblehead:
"You being appointed captain in the army of the United Provinces
of North America are directed to take command of a detachment of
said army and proceed on board the schooner Hannah at Beverly
lately fitted out with arms, ammunition and provisions." The
Hannah was an ordinary fishing schooner belonging to Colonel
John Glover, who, although a resident of INIarblehead, owned a
wharf in Beverly and conducted his fishing business from that place.
In accordance with these orders Captain Broughton, taking a de-
tachment from Colonel Glover's regiment of ^Marblehead fishermen,
men well fitted for the purpose, hoisted his flag on the Hannah and
sailed on his first cruize. On September 7, 1775, he writes to
Washington : " I beg leave to acquaint your Excellency that I sailed
from Beverly last Tuesday with a fair wind and proceeded on my
course. Took a ship off Cape Ann and sent her into Gloucester."
This prize, the first taken by a regularly commissioned Massachusetts
vessel, was the English ship Unity.
Colonel Glover and Stephen IMoylan, the latter acting secretary
to Washington, had been appointed a committee to secure vessels
by purchase or charter for the service of the United Provinces, and
on October 9, 1775, Colonel Moylan writes Washington that the
owners of the Hannah object to putting extra sails on the vessel,
it being customary to provide onlj^ foresail, mainsail and jib. "Col.
Glover," he continues, "has given the strongest proof of his good
opinion of the schooner by putting his brother and favorite son on
her. We have hired a schooner from Marblehead. She is noted for
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 325
her good qualities and will be ready to take in the Hannah's company
in 12 or 14 days if any misfortune should follow. She is taken on
the same terms as the other two, four shillings per ton per month
or five shillings, four pence, lawful money."
At the time the Hannah sailed from Beverly, there were two
vessels lying at the wharves of that town which had been hired for
the same service, the Lynch and the Franklin. On the return of the
Hannah, Captain Broughton was ordered to take command of the
Lynch and Captain Selman, also of Colonel Glover's regiment, of
the Franklin. The Lynch carried six guns and 75 men, the Franklin
four guns and 60 men, the crews of both vessels being drawn from
Colonel Glover's regiment. The two vessels were ordered when
ready to cruize in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and intercept two English
transports bound for Quebec and expected about this time.
The provisioning and arming of these vessels proceeded slowly,
but by October 19 they were ready and Stephen Moylan writes to
General Joseph Reed: "Capt. Broughton and Capt. Selman will be
ready to sail tomorrow. The latter is in want of a surgeon and we
believe it will be difficult to prevail on the captain and crew to sail
without one. Please send one." General Reed WTites in reply:
"Dr. Spofford agrees to go. Please fix on colors for a flag. What
do you think of a flag with a white ground, a tree in the middle,
with 'Appeal to Heaven.'" Dr. Spofford came as agreed, but they
did not sail until the 24th, and then without the new colors. Their
signal was ensign at main-toppinglift. On November 2, 1775,
Captain Broughton writes from the White Head, four degrees west
of Canso: "Have taken a ship with a cargo of provisions belonging
to Enoch Rust of Boston and sent the vessel to New England."
Although some ten prizes were taken by Captain Broughton, nothing
was seen of the two transports and the Lynch and the Franklin
returned to Beverly.
Washington had not been pleased with the leisurely way in which
the Lynch and the Franklin had been fitted out at Beverly and in
a letter to Colonel Moylan questions Colonel Glover's management
of the affair. On October 24 ^Moylan WTites in reply:
I sincerely believe Col. Glover has the cause at heart and has done
his best in fitting out these four vessels. There is a reason and I
think it is a substantial one why a person born in the same town or
326 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
neighborhood should not be employed in public affairs in that town.
It is the spirit of equality which reigns throughout the country which
makes him afraid of exerting his authority. He must shake every man
by the hand and pray do, my brother, do, my friend, whereas a few
hearty damns from a person who does not care a damn for them would
have a much better effect.
On the same day Colonel Moylan writes to Joseph Reed :
Colonel Glover showed me a letter of yours which has mortified him
much. I really and sincerely believe he has the cause much at heart
and that he has done his best in fitting out these last four vessels for
the public service. You cannot conceive the difficulty and delay there
is in procuring the thousand things necessary for these vessels. I dare-
say one of them might be fitted in Philadelphia or New York in three
days, because you M^ould know where to apply for the different articles
but here you must search all over Salem, Marblehead, Danvers and
Beverly for every thing that is wanted. I must add to these the jobbing
carpenters who are the idlest scoundrels in nature. If I could have pro-
cured others I should have dismissed the whole gang of them last
Friday; and such religious rascals are they that we could not prevail on
them to work on the Sabbath. I have stuck very close to them crying
shame and scolding them for their tory like disposition.
Washington, an aristocrat by birth and a soldier by avocation,
regarded with indignation the lawless acts of some of the early
privateersmen and felt only contempt for their evident desire to
imitate the showy externals rather than the discipline of the navy.
On November 6, 1775, at his direction. Colonel Moylan WTites a
rather sarcastic letter in regard to Captain Martindale of the brig
Washington, then fitting out at Plymouth: "The General is appre-
hensive that Capt. Martindale will make the outfit of his brig too
expensive. The intention of fitting out these cruisers is not to
attack armed, but take unarmed, vessels. I don't see the use of a
drum and fife but if it will give Capt. Martindale any pleasure he
shall have them." Again in November he writes: "Our rascally
privateersmen go on mutinously if they cannot do as they please.
Those at Plymouth, Beverly and Portsmouth have done nothing
worth mentioning in the way of prizes." Early in December he
writes again: "The plague, trouble and vexation I have had with
the crews of all the armed vessels are inexhaustible. The crews of
the Washington and Harrison have actually deserted them."
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 327
The schooner hired by Colonel Glover to take the place of the
Hannah was named the Lee, and Captain John Manly of Marble-
head was appointed her commander. Captain Manly was one of
the few naval oflScers who seemed to suit Washington and he held
during the whole war a deserved reputation for conduct and courage.
Born at Torquay, England, in 1733, he settled in Marblehead when
a young man and during the Revolutionary War commanded in
rapid succession the schooners Lee and Hancock, the privateers
Cumberland and Jason, and the frigate Hague. The good fortune
of his early career did not continue and he was three times taken
prisoner and confined in English prisons.^ On October 28, 1775,
he sailed on his first cruize with a crew drawn from Colonel Glover's
regiment. On November 30th Washington writes: "I hear good
accounts of the schooner Lee, Capt. Manly, he has taken a large
brigantine from London for Boston and sent her into Cape Ann.
Capt. Adams in the Warren has taken a schooner laden with potatoes
and turnips."
The Franklin after her cruize under Captain Sellman had remained
in Beverly harbor and Captain Samuel Tucker was appointed her
commander. On February 9, 1776, he sailed from Beverly on a
cruize in company with the Lee, Captain Waters, and in conjunction
with the Defence and several other privateers was fortunate enougli
to take the transports George and Annabella. In his instructions to
Captain Tucker, Washington had written: "Treat prisoners with
kindness and humanity. Their private stock of money and clothes
must be returned to them." It is to the credit of the ofiicers of
American privateers that these instructions, especially the first,
have usually been observed; but privateering is rough business,
and a disposition to make free with the property of prisoners haa
characterized the privateers of every nation.
The officers and crews of the vessels commissioned by Washington
received the same pay^ as officers and privates in the army of the
United Provinces and in addition one-third part of the value of
every vessel and cargo taken, after condemnation in the Courts of
1 John Manly died February 12, 1793: cf. Publications of this Society,
V. 274 note.
^ Captain's pay per month, £ 4; 1st lieutenant, £ 3; 2nd Heutenant, £ 2.10.0;
surgeon, £ 2.10.0; master, £ 2.0.0; boatswain, £ 1.10.0; steward, £ 1.10.0.
328 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
Admiralty. If the vessel was armed, one-half, instead of one-third,
was given as prize money. As afterwards construed this meant
sufficiently armed to attempt resistance and not a mere technical
armament. Of this prize money the captain received six shares, the
1st lieutenant five shares, the 2nd lieutenant four shares, the master
two shares, the master's mate one and a half shares, the gunner the
same, and the mariners each one share.
On December 20, 1775, Congress resolved that the seized vessels
carried into Massachusetts should be proceeded against by the law
of nations and libelled in the Courts of Admiralty of that state.
Such courts had already been established, and on December 12,
1775, Colonel Timothy Pickering writes:
To the Hon. the Council of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay.
May it please your Honers,
The Secretary has just informed me that your Honers have thought
fit to appoint me Judge of a Court to try the justice of the captured
vessels infesting the sea coast of America which shall be brought into
the counties of Suffolk, Middlesex and Essex. Your Honers will please
accept my thanks for the appointment. I am, may it please your
Honers,
Your most obedient servant,
Tim. Pickering, Jr.
The first sitting of the court was held March 16, 1776.
About November 1, 1775, William Bartlett of Beverly was
appointed first prize agent in Massachusetts for the United Colonies
with instructions to libel all prizes in his jurisdiction and after legal
condemnation sell them at auction and distribute the proceeds.^
1 In some cases there seems to have been actual distribution of the cargo
instead of a sale at auction and division of the proceeds. The following deposi-
tion is from the Nathan Dane Papers:
" I James Fuller Lakeman of Lawful age do Testify, in the Summer of the year
One thousand, Seven hundred and eighty I went a Vo3^age from Gloucester to
Bilbao in a Ship called the Gloucester Packet, William Coy, commander. I acted
as Mariner on board and in the passage from Bilbao we took a Prize. She was
a British brig of more than a hundred Tons, Loaded with salt and I was put on
board of her with the Prize Master and four Men to Bring her and we arrived
safe at Gloucester in the month of July Where the said Cargo was Divided and
I Received thirty Bushels of it for my share. I exchanged my Share of said Salt
at two Bushels of corn for one bushel of Salt and Corn was then one dollar a
Bushel, hard money."
1922] BEVEKLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 329
Mr. Bartlett entered on his duties with a high respect for the dignity
of his office and considerable doubt as to what his duties were. As
some Massachusetts privateers were probabh^ cruizing without
commissions and as courts had not yet been erected to try prizes
regularly taken, he was naturally at a loss what to do and disposed
to seek General Washington's advice. His letters to the General,
and Washington's terse, caustic and somewhat impatient replies are
rather amusing. ]\Ir. Bartlett's first letter to Washington bears the
date of November 4, 1775:
Sir.
Since I have had the honour of a commission under Your Excellency
I have never had an opportunity before to return you my hearty thanks.
I have the pleasure of informing Your Excellency that this morning at
davlight there appeared two sloops at anchor under one of our islands
called Misery. One of them came to sail and went on in a direct course
for Boston. The other being A-ery much torn to pieces in a gale of wind
was unfit to proceed on her course. Two resolute people in a small boat
went off and took her before we knew of it at this portion of the town.
However, some of Capt. Brown's stationed men went down and brought
her up in this harbor. My instructions are short in regard to such
cases and I beg Your Excellency will give me particular instructions.
The crew of the vessel consisted of Capt. Ritchie, his father, one white
man, one mulatto and a negro. He refuses to give up his papers.
Your Excellency's most obedient, humble servant,
William Bartlett.
Four days later Mr. Bartlett writes again to know^ what he shall
do with a schooner from Ireland brought in by five Beverly men
who put out from shore and seized her. Colonel Moylan replies
for Washington:
Sir.
Your favor of the 8th to his Excellency came this morning. As the
people on board object to your taking charge of the schooner and as
having anj^thing to do with vessels brought in as the North Briton was
will give you and the General trouble, it is his advice that you have
nothing to do with them. Suppose you give the vessel to the Committee
of Public Safety. In short get rid of her as best you can and let us
hear nothing further thereon.
330 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
There were a number of illegal seizures, by boats from the shore,
one of them, probably the earliest, by Hugh Hill, afterwards com-
mander of the Beverly privateers Pilgrim and Cicero.
To the Hon. the Council and House of Representatives of the Mass.
State.
The petition of Hugh Hill of Marblehead, Humbly Showeth that
your Petitioner with a Number of his Fellow Townsmen, (Actuated and
Inspired with the hope of Doing Good to the American Cause and In-
juring their Enemies) did some time in the month of Oct. 1775 by force
of arms attack. Subdue and Take a Small Schooner called the Industry,
commanded by Francis Butler, Laden with Turtles, limes and from
New Providence bound to Boston, (there being no Court of Admiralty
Established) Communicated to the Committee of this town with the
papers found In said vessel, Who forwarded them to the Hon. Council
and in Consequence Received Directions to dispose of the cargo at
Vendue and to deUver the Vessel to the order of Gen. Washington,
which they complied with. As soon as the Courts of Admiralty were
Opened, some of the Persons Concerned in the Capture of Said Vessel,
Libelled her and Trial was then held. When the Jury for Want of
Proper Evidence from some Mistaken Circumstance Cleared Vessel and
Cargo and of Consequence Made Your Petitioners Liable to Costs.
Your Petitioner therefor prays Your Honors will Take into consid-
eration and Grant him an Indemnification from such costs and from
such Damages as the Owners of the Vessel may attempt or recover
against him and Your Petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray.
Hugh Hill,^
A month later Colonel Moylan writes Mr. Bartlett in regard to
the brigantine Hannah,^ a vessel sent into Beverly by Captain
Manly: "There are oranges, lemons and limes aboard which you had
better sell immediately. The General will want some of these as
well as the sweetmeats and pickles aboard as his lady will be here
^ Massachusetts Archives, clxxx. 974.
2 The following advertisement appeared in a Boston paper of May 17, 1776:
"To be sold by William Bartlett, Agent for the United Provinces, at public
auction, the seventh day of May to be held in Beverly and to be continued from
day to day until the whole is sold, the following vessels and cargo. Ship Concord,
150 tons, Jinny, 350 tons, Polly, 80 tons, Brigantines, Nancy, 250 tons, Hannah,
250 tons; Sloops, Sally, 60 tons, Betty, 60 tons." These vessels were condemned
at a court held at Ipswich by Judge Pickering March 18, 1776.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 331
tomorrow. You will please pick up such things aboard as you think
will be acceptable to her and send as soon as possible, but he wishes
to pay for everything." Mr. Bartlett sent the General the fruit
and other dainties he had asked for from the cargo of the Hannah,
but they were not satisfactory, and on investigation it was found
that the crew of the Lee, Captain Manly's schooner, had looted
the best in the vessel. Colonel Moylan notified them that the
value of what they had stolen would be deducted from their prize
money.
Mr. Bartlett had been requested to bid in the Hannah, if she went
low enough, and on May 27, 1776, General Artemas Ward writes
to Washington: "I beg to inform you that your Agent at Beverly
has purchased the brig Hannah at four hundred and twenty pounds.
This day Capt. Bradford of Boston, having represented to me that
he had an order from Robert Morris, Esq., one of the Maritime
Committee, to procure a good sailing vessel for the Continental
service and that the brig would answer his service. Mr. Morris
writes that the brig is wanted to go on a particular service imme-
diately." The particular service was to convey dispatches to our
Commissioners in France, and the Hannah was taken into the
Continental service, given letters of marque papers, loaded with
a cargo of fish, renamed Despatch and placed under command of
Stephen Cleveland of Salem. Captain Cleveland's instructions were
to avoid all vessels at sea, make his way to Nantz or Bordeaux,
sell his cargo, deliver his dispatches and bring back arms and ammu-
nition. He was also to arm his vessel abroad and fit her for a
privateer. Captain Cleveland, with William Herrick of Beverly as
lieutenant or mate, sailed soon after. The sale of the Hannah was
one of the last official acts of Mr. Bartlett, and on June 14, 1776,
he was succeeded by Captain Bradford as Agent for the United
Provinces.
Besides the so-called privateers already mentioned the State of
Massachusetts was building an armed fleet of its own and three of
these vessels, the Tyrannicide building at Salisbury, and the Freedom
and the Repyhlic at Swansea, were constructed under the super-
vision of a committee consisting of Josiah Batchelder, Jr., of Beverly
and Richard Derby of Salem. Captain Batchelder from his practical
knowledge of navigation was a very influential member of the
332 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
]\Iassacluisetts Legislature and much of the direction of naval affairs
was put in his hands. Through his influence, on May 7, 1776, two
18-pound cannon, left by the British when they evacuated Boston,
were turned over to the town of Beverly to mount on their defences,
and a month later, sixty 18- and twenty 9-pound cannon balls were
sent them.
The defences of Beverly harbor in 177G, besides the fort at Salem,
consisted of a sand bag battery armed with two field pieces and
other works on which were mounted two 18- and two 12-pound
cannon. A committee of the General Court sent to view the sea-
coast with reference to defensive works, recommended a seven gun
battery at Thorndick's Point, a five gun battery at Barret's Point,
and a three gun battery at West Beach. This elaborate system of
fortification was too costly to be carried out, but batteries were
erected at several of the places.
These works were manned at first by a local coast guard and later
by Continental and State troops. On June 28, 1776, a resolve was
reported in the Provincial Congress to provide forces for the defence
of the sea coast, each company to consist of 50 men under direction
of the Committee of Correspondence of the town in which they were
stationed.^ One company was stationed in Beverly. Besides the
coast guard, Colonel Glover's regiment was ordered to Beverly and
remained there until July 22, 1776. When the news reached Beverly
that the regiment was ordered to New York, the selectmen petitioned :
To the Hon. Council of the Colony of Mass. Bay in New England.
Your petitioners have six miles of sea-coast offering good landing
places and fair road-stead for vessels to lie, and on the most advan-
tageous places have thrown up and erected breastworks and procured
a number of cannon, and have had by benevolence of his Excellency,
Gen. Washington the 14th regiment stationed in this town for some
months, who have received orders to march soon, that is to say to-
morrow. We petition therefore for 100 men to guard the seacoast.
In response to this petition, Colonel Henry Herrick^ and his regi-
ment were ordered to man the lines at Beverly. Why it should have
been thought necessary to keep so many troops at the small town
' Journals of the Provincial Congress (1838), pp. 412-413.
2 Henry Herrick, son of Henry and Joanna (Woodberry) Herrick, was born
October 25, 1716, and died December 16, 1780.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 333
of Beverly does not appear, and the Council evidently thought it
uncalled for and on October 25, 1776, ordered Colonel Herrick to
discharge officers and private soldiers of his regiment that by order
of July 20th had been ordered into the lines at Beverly and dis-
charged the selectmen of the town from furnishing them provisions.
The town remained unguarded until November 14th, when the
Council ordered that a company of 25 men, including one lieutenant,
two sergeants and two corporals, be raised and stationed in the
town until further notice. On November 21, 1776, the House re-
quested the Council to give orders to Lieutenant Joseph Wood to
take command of 25 men and ordered the selectmen to provide
rations as had been done for officers and men stationed there before,
not exceeding five shillings a man per week. November 27th the
Council ordered Lieutenant Joseph Wood^ to enlist 25 men, sergeants
to receive forty-four, corporals forty, and privates thirty-six shillings
a month. Lieutenant Wood was to receive three pounds twelve
shillings a month. On December 12, 1777, the Council voted that
hereafter at Beverly be stationed one lieutenant, one sergeant, one
gunner, and eleven matrosses, the lieutenant to receive five pounds,
the sergeant and gunner two pounds and the privates one pound and
ten shillings, monthly.
In the autumn of 1779 the Council commandeered one of the 18-
pound guns in the batteries at Beverly, and in February, 1780, took
two of the 9 pounders for their new State vessel, the Protector. On
October 4, 1780, the coast guard at Beverly was reduced to one
corporal and three matrosses, and this force was continued until the
close of the war.
So far as the writer can ascertain, there were but four cases in the
Revolutionary War where British armed vessels came within range
of the sea-port towns included in the Bay from Marblehead to Cape
Ann. The first, August 9, 1775, when the boats of the Falcon were
so roughly handled at Gloucester; the second, August 29th of the
same year, when the prize ship Isaac was chased into Marblehead
harbor and the fort opened fire on her pursuer, the Milford frigate;
1 Joseph Wood, son of Joseph and Ruth (Haskell) Wood, was town clerk of
Beverly for thirty-seven years, selectman, assessor, representative, and member
of the Committee of Public Safety and Correspondence. He died January 21,
1808.
334 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
the third, the affair of the Naidilus in Beverly harbor; and the
fourth, when the privateer Starks was chased into Salem harbor by
two frigates.
II
As early as November 1, 1775, an act was passed by the Massa-
chusetts Legislature empowering the Council to commission with
letters of marque and reprisal any person or persons within the
colony, to fit out and equip at their own expense, for the defence
of America, any vessel, and general authority to take all vessels of
the enemy. The master of the private armed vessel was required
to give bonds as principal with two good names as securities in order
to satisfy any claim that might be made for illegal capture. The
bond was $5,000 for vessels under 100 tons and S10,000 for vessels
of 100 tons and over. Later it was found that deserters from the
Continental army often enlisted on private armed vessels, and such
vessels were put under bond not to take on board any soldier from
the Continental army or any man not a citizen of Massachusetts.
Bonds were also required that the crews of any vessel captured
should be brought as prisoners into the State and not, as was often
done, set free on some worthless prize to avoid expense. This was
really in the interest of the privateersmen themselves and if faith-
fully carried out would have saved many of them long confinement
in English prisons, but prisoners were a dangerous freight to carry
and the bond was often evaded, although English prisoners were
needed in Massachusetts as material for exchange. It is from these
bonds, necessarily signed by some of the owners, that much of our
information about the vessels is obtained.
The first private armed vessels commissioned under the authority
of the State were privateers as distinguished from letters of marque.
That is, they were empowered and used to cruize against the enemies
of America, and not merely merchant vessels armed to resist aggres-
sion and authorized to take prizes. A privateer was in most respects,
except ownership, a close imitation of our state and national vessels,
and its ofiicers received the same titles as in the regular service. A
letter of marque was a merchant vessel cleared for some port with
a cargo, though she might sail in ballast, but armed to resist aggres-
sion and authorized to take any of the enemy's vessels that came in
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 335
her way. The officers received the same titles as were used in the
merchant service. With the letter of marque the capture of prizes
was incidental, with the privateer it was the business of the cruize.
The letter of marque was usually lighter armed and carried a much
smaller crew than a privateer of the same tonnage.
The first private armed vessels sailing from jNIassachusetts in 1776
were small craft taken from the merchant service and not especially
adapted to the work in which they vvere engaged. Many were sloops,
some were schooners, but the favorite rig was the brigantine. These
carried a large spanker with a square, instead of a gaff, topsail on the
main mast. They were armed with light cannon, old fashioned swivel
guns, blunderbusses, and a few muskets and pikes. The cannon used
were long guns, as distinguished from carronades, and so far as the
writer can ascertain, with one exception, no carronades^ were used on
American private armed vessels during the war. The uniform of the
officers and men on Massachusetts privateers was white and green,
and the flag first carried was a green pine on a white ground.
The rations allowed a privateer's crew were what the owner
pleased, but as private armed vessels were obliged to compete for
seamen with the State vessels, it is probable that the fare on the
two did not materiall}" differ. The allowance of provisions for each
officer and m.ariner as prescribed by the State October 12, 1776, was
as follows : one pound of bread, one pound of beef or pork, one gill of
rice and one gill of rum daily. Peas or beans to the amount of half
a pint or a pound of potatoes or turnips might be substituted for
the rice. Three-quarters of a pound of butter and one-half a pint
of vinegar was allowed weekly. Division of prize money was usually
made in the proportion of two parts to the owners and one to the
officers and crew of the vessel, but there was no arbitrary rule. It
is a disputed question whether the officers and crew of a privateer
received wages in addition to their share of the prize money; they
undoubtedly did receive wages on a letter of marque.
1 In the New York Gazette of April 22, 1780, is an advertisement offering
12 and 13 pound carronades, imported direct from the Carron foundry, for use
in privateers. "They can be discharged," says the advertisement, " every three
minutes, which doubles the strength against an enemy of equal force. The car-
ronade weighs one third as much as a long gun of the same caUbre and the
powder charge is only one twelfth the weight of the ball." The long gun could
be discharged once in six minutes.
336 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
No privateer sailing from Beverly received a commission from the
Massachusetts Council prior to September 4, 1776, but several were
so commissioned in which Beverly capital was interested. The
earliest of these was the Revenge, owned by Joseph Lee of Beverly
and Miles Greenwood of Salem and commissioned May 14, 1776.
The Revenge was a sloop of 90 tons burden, armed with twelve
four- and six-pounders, and carrying a crew of 60 men. She was
commanded in rapid succession by Joseph White, Benjamin Warren,
Edward Gibaut, and Benjamin Dean, all of Salem. Her first two
prizes, the ships Anna Maria and Polly, were among the first cases
tried in our prize courts. On April 29, 1776, at the same term of
court, Bartholemew Putnam and Andrew Cabot libelled the ship
Lord Dartmore of 300 tons, seized and taken in Danvers between
high and low water mark. A little later, August 9th, John Gardiner
of Salem commissioned two schooners, the Gen. Gates and the
Harlequin in which Andrew Cabot of Beverly was interested. One
of them, the Harlequin, under the name Sally, had been employed
by Mr. Cabot in the Spanish trade.
The first privateer owned in and sailing from Beverly was the
brigantine Retaliation owned by Josiah Batchelder, Jr., and others
of Beverly. She was of 70 tons burden, carried ten two- and four-
pound guns, nine swivels, and 70 men. Her commander, Eleazer
Giles of Beverly,^ was commissioned September 4, 1776. The
petition for the commission, dated September 2, 1776, states that
the Retaliation has on board 50 barrels of beef and pork, 4000 pounds
of bread, 500 pounds of powder, 25 muskets, 30 cutlasses, and 10
lances. While the Retaliation was fitting out in Beverly, Josiah
Batchelder, Jr., had petitioned the General Court for an order on
Samuel Phillips at his mill in Andover for 500 pounds of powder at
five shillings a pound. A lack of powder was one of the perplexities
of the new Republic and on January 6, 1776, the Massachusetts
Council, in order to encourage its manufacture in the Colony, agreed
to furnish Samuel Phillips at his mill in Andover sulphur and salt-
1 Eleazar Giles was born in Danvers, but removed to Beverly; commanded
several privateers during the war and lost his leg in action on board the Sara-
toga; died in Liverpool, England.
As a rule the names of only the commanders or captains of vessels are mentioned
in the text. For the names of other oflBcers, see section viii, pp. 405-424, below.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 337
petre at cost and give him a bonus of eight pence a pound on all
powder manufactured. In order to obtain powder it was necessary
to petition the General Court, which fixed the price and did not
always allow the quantity asked for.
Captain Giles on his first cruize headed for the West Indies and
was lucky enough to fall in with the Jamaica fleet and take four
rich prizes, the brigantine Hiram and the ships Success, St. Lucie,
and Alfred} The largest ship, the St. Lucie of 350 tons, carried
500 hogsheads of sugar and 20 puncheons of rum, and the wharves
of the Beverly merchants once more presented a busy spectacle.
Other privateers were equally successful, and so much sugar was
brought into the State that on January 3, 1777, the General Court
granted permission for vessels to export sugar to the amount of
twelve hogsheads for every 100 tons the vessel registered. The
people began to feel need of food rather than sugar and rum.
The Retaliation, as a letter of marque, sailed for Charleston with
a full cargo of sugar, bringing back rice and naval stores. Some
time in the autumn of 1777 the Retaliation was taken by an English
vessel and carried into Halifax. Eleazer Giles was the first Beverly
captain taken prisoner, but he did not remain long in confinement, and
in April or May of the following year returned to Beverly in the cartel
Industry. We shall hear of him again in connection with other vessels.
In the history of Beverly privateers no name occurs so frequently
as that of Andrew Cabot, but in 1776 he seemed to confine his
investments to vessels sailing from other ports. Besides those
already mentioned he was part owner in the Sturdy Beggar, Rover
and Reprisal.
The Sturdy Beggar was a schooner of 90 tons, carrying 6 guns and
20 men, owned by Mr. Cabot's friend, Elias H. Derby of Salem.
Her first captain was Peter Landen of Salem, followed in a few
weeks by the celebrated Allen Hallet, later by Edward Rowland.
On February 24, 1777, the Sturdy Beggar, Captain Rowland, is
reported taken by an English vessel, and in June the crew were
committed to ]Mill Prison. A few years later another Sturdy Beggar,
this time a brigantine, under Philip Lefavour of Marblehead, was
sailing from Salem in which there is reason to suppose Mr. Cabot
1 George Child, an Englishman, on the St. Lucie, from Jamaica for Bristol,
had a private adventure on board which Capt. Giles generously restored to him.
338 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
was also Interested. The second Sturdy Beggar was reported wrecked
on the coast of France.
The Rover, owned by John Derby, Andrew Cabot and others, was
a sloop of 60 tons, armed with eight carriage and ten swivel guns
and two cohorns. Her first captain was Simon Forrester, also a
part owner, and her early cruizes were very successful. The New
York Mercury of October 22, 1776, reports that the sloop Rover,
Captain Forrester, during a calm, by the aid of sweeps overtook
and captured the English ship Mary and James from Falmouth,
England. She was a rich prize and her captain on his arrival at
New York complained bitterly of the treatment he had received on
board the Rover. "Worse than pirates" he calls his captors. The
Mary and James, 129 tons, the brigantine Good Intent, 100 tons, and
the Sarah Ann, 100 tons, prizes to the Rover, were all libelled
October 24, 1776.1
On September 20, 1776, Job Prince and Samuel White of Boston,
agents for themselves and Jacob Fowler, Andrew Cabot, John Coffin
Jones and Benjamin Hichbourne, owners of the brigantine Reprisal
of 70 tons and 8 guns, petition that John Wheelwright be appointed
commander of said vessel. How large an interest Mr. Cabot had
in the Reprisal is not stated.
The second pri\'ateer owned in and sailing from Beverly was the
brigantine Washington of 90 tons, carrying 12 six and four-pound
cannon and a crew of 80 men.^ She was owned by John Dyson,'
Thomas Davis and others of Beverly, and commanded by Elias
Smith. Elias Smith, though a resident of Beverly, was a native of
Virginia, possessing all that courtesy of manner, carelessness of dress
and fiery pugnacity which characterized the men of the Old Dominion.
"Are you the Captain of this vessel?" was the rather contemptuous
inquiry of the commander of a conquered ship, come aboard to sur-
render his sword. "In default of a better," replied Captain Smith,
drawing himself up to his full height — he was only five feet tall —
1 The Rover, Capt. Adam Wellman of Beverly, was captured in 1780.
2 The Beverly Historical Society owns a printed handbill reading: "Now
fitting for a Privateer, In the harbor of Beverly, the Brigantine Washington.
A strong, good vessel for that purpose and a prime sailer. Any Seaman or
Landsman that has an inclination to make their Fortunes in a few months may
have an opportunity by applying to John Dyson. Beverly, Sept. 7, 1776."
3 John Dyson (1742-1S2S) was born in England.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 339
and bowing low. The story is told that after the war a relation of
his who felt himself insulted asked his advice as to fighting a duel.
"Fight hun!" said the old veteran, "Fight him! Fight him!"
Captain Smith sailed from Beverly soon after he was commissioned,
to join the fleet under Captain Manly. These cruizes with Captain
Manly were quite a feature during the first two years of the war,
and were not very popular with the owners and ofiicers of private
armed vessels. The idea was that five or sLx vessels could cover a
large extent of water and still be within supporting distance of each
other and take more prizes proportionally than when cruizing singly.
Under the articles of agreement, however, the privateer became a
sort of contract vessel and for a specified time passed out of the
control of her owner. The officers, too, of these privateers by no
means relished being under the orders of a man whom they refused
to consider as their superior, and much complaint and bickering
ensued. The articles of agreement between the State and the owners
of the Washington are a t}^e of all these contracts :
Articles of Agreement between the Council of the Great and General
Court and Thomas Davis and John Dyson of Beverly, Merchants,
owners of the WasJiingion brigantine, a privateer vessel of war bound
for cruise of 25 days in company with a fleet of Continental vessels
and other ships under Capt. Manly's command. That in case of
accident the State agrees to insure the vessel to the full amount of
her cost against all dangers of sea and English ships while under Capt.
Manly's command. All ammunition expended to be made good by the
State. Any prize taken by the fleet to be divided equally among the
whole fleet even if one by accident be absent. Owners of the Washington
to give bonds to the amount of 6000 pounds that they will keep this
agreement and obey Capt. Manly's orders.^
After his cruize with Captain IVIanly, Captain Smith returned to
Beverly and then cruized on his own account, sending in eight prizes.
The Washington was reported taken by the Levant in 1777.
The only other privateer sailing from Beverly in 1776 was the
schooner Warren. She was owned by Josiah Batchelder, Eleazer
Giles and others of Beverly and commanded by Israel Thorndike,
who remained in command until the next spring, when he was
^ Massachusetts Archives, ccxv. 442.
340 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
succeeded by Nicholas Ogleeby. Captain Ogleeby made two cruizes
in the Warren, and was succeeded by John Ravell of Salem.
Soon after sailing, December 27, 1777, Captain Ravell fell in with
the English letter of marque Tom, Captain John Lee, mounting 26
six-pounders, and after a sphited defence of three hours was obliged
to surrender. As the Warren carried only five guns and ten swivels
she was, of course, no match for her powerful adversary. The Tom
received little damage, but the Warreii had lost her mainmast and
w^as so much cut up that Captain Lee did not consider her worth
taking in but threw her guns and ammunition overboard and left
her to her own crew. The Warren lost one man killed and two
w^ounded. For nine days Captain Ravell and his men worked hard
to repair damages and had made some progress, but on February 6th
were again captured by the English ship Fanny, from New York for
Liverpool, and were carried to that city and confined in ]\Iill Prison.
Some time in the spring of 1776 Robert Haskell^ of Beverly obtained
permission from the Council to sail from Nova Scotia in his fishing
schooner, the Dove, with a crew of four men, taking with him as
cargo one barrel of pork, 200 pounds of bread, sixteen gallons of
molasses, two bushels of salt, and a half bushel of beans. The trade
with Nova Scotia which went on throughout the war will be con-
sidered at length in another section, but this permission, like others,
was really a blind to cover a secret expedition in search of infor-
mation. Haskell had removed with his family to Nova Scotia in
1762, but returned to Beverly in 1774 to resume his fishing bus-
iness. He easily obtained information without exciting suspicion
and returned home having fully accomplished his purpose.
On July 2, 1776 the Council requested Josiah Batchelder, Jr., of
Beverly to obtain for them a small vessel to be used as a spy vessel
and a suitable man to command it. Captain Batchelder once more
sought out Robert Haskell, and on July 13th sent him with the
following letter to the Council:
To the Hon. Council of the Colony of Mass. Bay.
These to acquaint you that I have hired and fitted out a small vessel
for the purpose of obtaining information of the motions of the fleet and
armies of our enemies.
1 Robert Haskell, son of William and Mary (Lovett) Haskell, was born
April 2, 1736, and died June 17, 1789.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 341
Capt. Haskell who will remit you this letter is to be intrusted with
the business. It is needless to recommend him as he has made one
voyage already in your employ and he now awaits your orders.
N.B. I have found it very difficult to find a suitable vessel.
Captain Batchelder finally found two vessels in Beverlj'^, one of them
the Dove, which answered his purpose, and for some months Captain
Haskell remained in the secret service of the State.
On October 15, 1776, the General Court resolved that a Naval
Officer be appointed for each port, to take manifests under oath of
all cargoes imported and exported, give bills of health, and sign
permissions to go to sea. On November 21, 1776, Warwick Palfrey
of Salem was appointed Naval Officer of the port of Salem, which
of course included Beverly.
HI
The year 1777 opened gloomily for the young Republic. "Food
is getting scarce and money scarcer," MTites George Williams to
Colonel Pickering. The fishing industry, the basis of all exports
from New England, was ruined and the sole hope of the seaport
towns lay in privateering. The first vessel, owned in Beverly,
commissioned in 1777, was the True American of 90 tons, carrying
10 four-pound guns and a crew of 70 men. She was owned by
Andrew Cabot and on April 29, 1777, John Buflinton of Salem was
commissioned commander. It may seem strange that a Beverly
merchant should go outside his own town to officer his vessel, but
Captain Buffinton and Andrew Cabot had long been associated in
the Spanish trade and the captain of a privateer was usually allowed
to pick his own officers. ^Moreover this was not the True American's
first cruize. She had sailed from Salem the previous year under
Captain Daniel Hathorne, later under Captain William Carleton, on
petition of Benjamin Goodhue and others, though it is probable that
Andrew Cabot held an interest In her from the first. On her first
cruize under Captain Hathorne, the True American sent in two
prizes, the brlgantlne Anny and the Unity, but In an attack on an
English packet was roughly handled and beaten off with the loss of
three men killed and ten wounded. Captain Hathorne was wounded
and gave up the vessel to Captain Carleton.
342 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
Under Captain Buffinton, the True American made her first cruize
with Captain Manly, and on her return, with a crew of 25 men
sailed as a letter of marque for Bilbao. This port was the INIecca at
which, sooner or later, all American priA^ateers cruizing in European
waters finally arrived. Captain Lee of the Hawk, on his arrival at
Salem in the autumn of 1776, reported 18 American privateers in
that port when he left. Business relations between the merchants
of Massachusetts and Bilbao had been close before the war, and now
it was the most convenient port in which to sell their prizes and
refit. It was also a place where most owners had an agent from
whom money could be obtained on account, and a visit to Bilbao
meant a chance for a spree.
The Spaniards did not look with approval on the wild privateers-
men as they marched singing through the narrow streets or caroused
in the wine shops, but if they did not love the Americans, they liked
their money and contented themselves with silent cursing.
The True American was consigned to Joseph Gardoqui & Sons,
Bilbao, and Captain Buffinton was directed to cruize awhile in the
Bay of Biscay and take a prize or two if possible. While in Bilbao
the rig of the True American was changed from that of a schooner
to a brig. The next year the True American, still under Captain
Buffinton, made another voyage to Bilbao, and on her return passed
into other hands.
On April 26, 1777, some of the merchants of Boston, knowing the
condition of the State treasury, started a fund to be lent to the
State to build and fit out two cruizers to protect the coast, and to
this fund Andrew Cabot of Beverly subscribed £1000.
One of the most successful privateers sailing from Beverly during
the war was the Oliver Cromwell. As first commissioned, she was a
brigantine of 162 tons, carrying 16 guns and 120 men. Her owners
were George, John and Andrew Cabot, Joseph Lee and others. On
her first cruize she was commanded by Captain William Cole and
was very successful, sending in eleven prizes. The following extracts
from her log show how some of them were taken :
July 30th 1777, Fan-, raw, cold, wind rough and sea. Sent our boat
aboard the prize. Took out Mr. Dyer and one of the band and sent
Mr. French to take command and carry her into Bilbao
I .Fm-r-tif* ,u ,Futn^0 s VS"/' /l-y* j>
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 343
July 31st Fair, pleasant weather. At 3^ past 3, A.M. saw the sail
again and gave chase. At 4 gave her a gun and brought her to. She
was a small sloop called the Three Sisters, about 60 tons loaded with
butter and sheep guts. Sent her into Bilboa.
Aug. 2nd, Fair, light breeze and smooth sea. Early A.M. saw a sail
and judged her to be Capt. Lee of Marblehead, privateer brig,^ fired
two guns to leeward in token of friendship. At 10 sent a small boat
on board to bring him on board to dinner. He came on board us accord-
ingly and informs us he has taken nine prizes, some of which v.ere
retaken, and some in ballast which he gave up to his prisoners and
four he had sent home, laden with bale goods and provisions. Agreed
to keep us company and cruise in concert several days.
Aug. 6th at 3 P.M. saw two brigs. Everything being prepared for
battle we advanced. One of them began to fire but we took no notice
until near when we gave her two broadsides. Finally she struck. We
then bore up for the other brig and kept up an incessant fire for three
glasses. She returned our fire for some time and then wore oflP. The
other during engagement kept up a fire on us with her bow chasers.
Now we began to think of the man of war which had been in chase of
us all day, then we judged it best to give up the assault for the night.
The engagement lasted three glasses in which Capt. Cole and all the
officers behaved with great courage. The first Lieutenant Vv'as wounded
in both thighs, one or two other men slightly wounded, none killed.
Our brig received several shots in the hull and rigging.
The next year, 1778, Thomas Simmons of Salem was commissioned
commander and she continued to send in prizes. While under
Captain Simmons her rig was changed to that of a ship. On
August 11, 1779, James Barr was commissioned commander and
still she was successful. On her return to Salem September 30,
1780, however, she came in minus her main and mizzen mast which
she had lost in a severe hurricane, and on January 15, 1781, her
agent, Edward Allen, advertises the Oliver Cromwell for sale, " Stores,
guns and provisions." She was purchased by J. & A. Cabot, William
Bartlett, Nathan Leach and others of Beverly, refitted and placed
1 The privateer schooner Hmvk of Marblehead. On her arrival at Bilbao she
was complained of as an illegal privateer. The prime minister of Spain, the
Marquis of Grimaldi, decided that the Hawk was within her rights and ordered
that American vessels, privateer or merchant, should be treated hke any
neutrals.
3i4 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
under the command of John Bray of Marblehead. On the back of
the petition for Captain Bray's commission at the State Archives
is written: "John Bray, Commander of the within named ship is
41 years of age, 5 feet, 8 inches in stature, and dark complexioned.
Thomas Brown, 1st Lieutenant, 34 years of age, 5 feet, 2 inches in
stature and dark complexioned." Under Captain Bray the wonder-
ful luck of the Oliver Cromwell no longer continued, and in August,
1781, while "dogging" the Quebec fleet she was taken by an English
frigate and carried into Newfoundland.
On petition of George Cabot and others, July 5, 1777, Benjamin
Warren was commissioned commander of the brigantine Hampden
of 120 tons, 14 four-pound guns and 120 men. She was largely
owned in Salem and was fairly successful.
The last privateer commissioned from Beverly in 1777 was the
schooner Scorpion of 50 tons, carrying 14 swivel and 2 carriage guns
and a crew of 40 men. On petition of Joseph White and Miles
Greenwood, Israel Thorndike was commissioned commander. The
Scorpion was owned by Josiah Batchelder, Jr., Israel Thorndike and
others, and was later commanded by Benjamin Niles, Perry Rowland,
and Benjamin Ives.
The year 1777 had been a fairly good one for the owners of Beverly
privateers and those having money were prepared to make further
ventures. The private armed vessels in 1776-1777 were necessarily
merchant craft, by no means fitted for the business in which they
were engaged, but as these were either taken or discarded, a larger
and faster type took their place. The first Beverly privateer com-
missioned in 1778 was the Terrible Creature, owned by George and
Andrew Cabot and others. She was a heavily armed vessel of
unknown tonnage, carrying 16 six-pounders and a crew of 100 men.
She was not a new vessel and had probably sailed under another
name. Some say she was the Oliver Cromwell rechristened, but this
does not seem possible. Her first commission does not appear in
the State Archives, but we know from other sources that she made
at least one voyage to Bilbao before March 9, 1778, the date of her
commission at the State House. Nathaniel W^est of Salem was at
Bilbao when the Terrible Creature touched there and returned on
her as a passenger to Salem. On April 4, 1778, forty-two of the
officers and crew signed the following order: "The undersigned.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 345
going on a cruize against the enemies of their State in the privateer
Terrible Creature, Robert Richardson, Commander, do hereby appoint
Simon Forrester and Isaac White jointly and severally our Agents."
The names of the 43 are given, and the only ones indicating a Beverly
origin are John Picket, Charles Corning, Isaac Trask and William
Homans. As the crew numbered 100 men, however, it is probable
that those from Beverly preferred an agent in then- own town. On
her second cruize, ]March 9, 1778, the commander of the Terrible
Creature was Robert Richardson of Beverly. On her third cruize
under Captain West she was fortunate enough to strike a fleet of
English merchant vessels soon after leaving Salem and took so many
that she was obliged to return immediately to Salem to ship new
men.
On April 20th of the same year a still more formidable vessel, but
with a more pacific name, was put in commission by Beverly owners.
This was the brigantine Franklin of 200 tons, carrying 18 six-
pounders, and a crew of 100 men. She was owned by J. & A. Cabot
of Beverly and Bartholomew Putnam of Salem. Her first captain
was Thomas Connolly, followed the same autumn by John Leach,
with Jacob Oliver, a Beverly man, as lieutenant. Captain Leach
sailed from Salem November 4th and on the 17th took a snow with
300 quintals of fish. Four days later he engaged a brig mounting
16 guns, from England for Antigua, laden with dry goods, and
captured her after a few broadsides. On the 25th he took another
brig, and during the cruize sent in several other prizes.
In 1779 the FranMin was commanded by the famous Joseph
Robinson of Salem, and while under his command her rig was
changed from that of a brigantine to a ship. Under Captain Robinson,
the Franldin cruized with varying success in the West Indies, and
when, on March 24, 1780, he was promoted to the Pilgrim, John
Turner of Marblehead took his place. The next year Allen Hallet
of Boston, a man who held more public and private naval positions
during the war than any other mariner in Massachusetts, was com-
missioned commander. On the back of Allen Hallet's petition is
indorsed, "John Allen Hallet, master of the within ship, is 37 years
of age, 6 feet, 6 inches tall and of dark complexion. Silas Devol,
1st Lieutenant, is 6 feet tall, 40 years of age and dark." On December
24, 1781, Captain Hallet for some reason left the Franklin, and Silas
346 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
Devol took his place. In 1782, the Franklin, Captain Devol, cruiz-
ing in the West Indies, joined with several Beverly and Salem vessels
in an expedition against Tortola. The vessels associated with the
Franklin were the Poms, Captain Carnes; the Junius Brutus, Cap-
tain Brooks; the Pilgrim, Captain Robinson; the Mohock, Captain
Smith; and the Fair American. It was intended to surprise Tortola,
but the inhabitants were forewarned and the expedition was a
failure. The only prize was the former Salem privateer, Maccaroni,
which had recently been captured by an English vessel. A little
later the Franklin was taken by the English frigates, Amphitriie
and Assurance.
Although large and heavily armed vessels were necessary to
encounter and capture the equally heavily armed English letter of
marque ships, there was also a profitable field for vessels of small
tonnage and light armament. Probably more than half the prizes
taken by our American privateers were recaptured by the English,
a small prize crew put aboard and the vessel ordered to some English
port. These vessels and the lighter armed British merchant vessels
could be taken by a privateer of very slight force. Such a privateer
was the little sloop Fly, owned by Benjamin Lovett^ and Andrew
Cabot of Beverly. She was only 50 tons burthen, armed with 4
carriage and 8 swivel guns, and carrying a crew of 40 men. August
29th, 1778, Jolm ]Marsh was commissioned commander with Ezra
Ober as 1st lieutenant, both Beverly men.
Another vessel of this class at one time owned in Beverly, though
no record of it appears in the State Archives, was the schooner
Centipede. For three years at least, perhaps longer, she sent in prize
after prize and, run as she was at small expense, must have been
immensely profitable to her owners. She was 45 tons burthen,
carrying 16 swivel guns and 35 men. Her first commission was
issued December 23, 1777, when en petition of Elias H. Derby,
Joseph White and Miles Greenwood, William Langdon of Salem
Vv'as commissioned as captain and the vessel called Cent. Peid. In
her bond, however, given some days before, she is called Santape.
On May 14, 1778, she libelled the prize schooner Betty under the
name of Centi Pea. She was commissioned again in 1778 and this
1 Benjamin Lovett (1756-1804), eon of Benjamin and Hannah (Kilham)
Lovett.
1S22] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 347
time she was called Cent. Pcde, changed on her bond to Cent Pea,
and on her Hbel against the schooner Bickford to Saint te Pee.
August 12, 1779, Joseph Pratt was commissioned commander of the
armed cruizer Centipie and August 12, 1779, Gideon Henfield Hbels
several prizes sent in by schooner Centipede} In 1778 this vessel
of many names was owned by Josiah Batchelder of Beverly, Liver-
more Whittredge being agent.
Some time in the autumn of 1777 a number of Beverly and Salem
gentlemen gave an order to William Swett of Salisbury to build them
a ship intended to be the largest, fastest, and most heavily armed
privateer ever launched from our ]\Iassachusetts ship yards. The
name gi\-en her was the Black Prince, a rather unusual choice at a
time when most American privateers were named after famous
republicans, local or Roman, and one that rabid patriots must have
cavilled at. She was ship rigged, measured 220 tons, carried 18 guns
and a crew of 130 men and was commissioned June 17, 1778, with
Elias Smith of BcA'erly as commander. No other privateer sailed
from Salem during the war in which so many Beverly men were
interested. George Cabot, J. & A. Cabot, Moses Brown, Israel
Thorndike, Larkin Thorndike,^ John Lovett, Josiah Batchelder, Jr.,
and Benjamin Lovett all held shares. Under Captain Smith she was
fairly successful, sending in a number of prizes, but on October 19,
1778, Captain Smith was succeeded by Nathaniel West of Salem,
and from that time, though not through any fault of her captain,
her luck changed.
On June 30, 1779, the Black Prince, Captain West, had just
returned from a long and unsuccessful voyage and was preparing in
Salem harbor for a raid on the Quebec fleet, due the following month.
The State, about to engage in the Penobscot expedition, sent George
Williams and Jonathan Peele to Salem with a request, almost a
command, that the Black Prince join the fieet they were forming.
The owners, against their better judgment, yielded and June 19,
1778, the Black Prince, Captain West, joined the fleet at Boothbay
1 From December 25, 1777, to April 29, 1780, she bore the following names:
Cent Pied, Santape, Cent. Pede, Cent. Pea, Cent, a Pede, Sanlipe, Sentipe, Cent.
Peid, Centipede, Cejiti Pea, Saint te Pie, Centipie.
2 Larkin Thorndike (1730-1786) was captain of the minnte-men who marched
to Concord in 1775.
348 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
and took part in the unfortunate expedition. The Black Prince
shared the fate of the other American privateers, but her crew
escaped to shore. The Black Prince was insured by the State to
the amount of £100,000 and after some years' delay her owners
were paid, principal and interest. John Lovett received £272,
George Cabot £224, Benjamin Lovett £464, the other Beverlj'^
owners received compensation in another way.
Two privateers in which Beverly gentlemen were largely interested,
the Black Prince and the Defence, were in the unfortunate Penobscot
expedition. The latter, a brig of 170 tons, armed with 16 six-pounders
and carrying a crew of 100 men, was owned by Andrew Cabot and
Moses Brown and commanded by Captain John Edmonds of Beverly.
Both were run on shore and destroyed when the British fleet entered
Penobscot harbor. Some of the Beverly merchants obtained or
tried to obtain advances from the State prior to the general settle-
ment, and on September 22, 1782, Larkin Thorndike of Beverly,
"Part owner of the Black Prince and Defence, having met with
misfortunes at sea which has reduced him of almost his whole trad-
ing stock exclusive of what he has loaned to the Government,
having bought the forfeited estate of John Landell Borland, Esq.
begs that you will loan him part of the money due from the State,
which is 600 pounds, lawful money." The estate bought by Larkin
Thorndike was a tract of land situated in Danvers, Topsfield and
Middleton, and the State allowed him £400. Andrew Cabot tried
much the same plan. The State owed for the Defence £105,000.
Mr. Cabot bought from the State the forfeited real estate of Lieu-
tenant-Governor Oliver at Lechmere's Point, Cambridge, and gave
his note for the same. When the note came due he offered to give
the State credit for the £94,000 he had paid for the property on the
sum due him for the Defence, but the State refused. He finally
received £4245 for his half of the Defence. September 20, 1779,
Brown and Thorndike petitioned the Council:
To the Honorable, the Council of the State of Massachusetts Bay.
Whereas your petitioners, part owners of the armed ship Black Prince
and armed brigantine Defence, did agree to fit out said ship and brigan-
tine for the expedition against Penobscot and had the misfortune to
have them destroyed while in the service of the State, which misfortune
has deprived them of by far the greatest part of their interest and
I
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 349
renders them unable to carry on their business in navigation unless
their contract with the Board of War be carried out. Therefore, your
petitioners pray that they be furnished wath 32 six pound cannon be-
longing to the State to enable them to cruise against the enemies of
the United States.
Of all the privateers sailing from Beverly during the war, the
Pilgrim was the most famous and probably the most successful.
She was very fortunate in her commanders and is said to have been
built for her owner, Mr. Cabot/ at Newburj^ort under supervision
of her first captain, Hugh Hill. She was ship rigged, measured
200 tons and carried 16 nine-pounders and a crew of 140 men. On
September 12, 1778, Hugh Hill of Beverly was commissioned com-
mander. Hugh Hill, the man chosen to command the finest privateer
sailing from Beverty, was the beau ideal of a privateer captain.^ Born
at Carrickfergus, Ireland, in 1741 he had come to this country when
a young man, settling in Marbiehead. He was of good family, a
cousin of Andrew Jackson, the future president of the United States,
and an enthusiast in the cause of American liberty. Of immense
size, muscular beyond the common, courageous almost to rashness,
courteous to the fair sex and not burdened with scruples, he had
all the characteristics which might have made him a famous captain
in the days of Drake. The story is told of him that on one occasion
while at L'Orient, France, a French gentleman in a cabaret felt
himself insulted by some word or action of the reckless privateers-
man. "I will send my seconds to you in the morning," said the
Frenchman. "What is the matter with here and now?" said Hugh
Hill, drawing two pistols from his belt and offering one to the
Frenchman. There was no duel.
Hugh Hill remained in command of the Pilgrim until March 24,
1780, and during that time sent into Beverly as prizes the ships
Francesco di Paula of 250 tons, the Anna and Eliza of 120 tons, the
bark Success of 120 tons, the brigantine Ncustra Senora de Merced,
of 120 tons, the Hoyewell of 115 tons, the Three Brothers of 130 tons,
the Pallas of 100 tons, the Gold Wire of 130 tons, the snow Diana
' The Pilgrim was owned by John and Andrew Cabot, Joseph Lee, George
Cabot, Moses Brown, Samuel Cabot, Francis Cabot, Jonathan Jackson, Joshua
Wood, and Stephen Cleveland. Andrew Cabot owned a little less than one-
half in 1780. Salem gentlemen owned 16/96ths. (Nathan Dane Papers.)
2 A portrait of Hugh Hill faces p. 320, above.
350 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
of 160 tons, the Brandywine and Lord Sandwich. These were vessels
which reached Beverly; more than double the number were sent into
foreign ports, or retaken. One of these prizes, the Francesco di Paula,
was the cause of long litigation and came near causing international
complications with Spain. The case was one, common in war time,
of an English-owned ship named Valenciano, rechristened Francesco
di Paula and put under Spanish colors. Joachi di Luca was her
nominal and Peter White her real captain. The Francesco was con-
demned in our State courts but the case was appealed to Congress,
where the fear of offending Spain kept the case undecided for a long
time. Finally the ship was condemned and the cargo returned to
its owners.
While in command of the Pilgrim, Captain Hill had several sharp
encounters with English vessels. March 14, 1779, the Pilgrim
engaged the letter of marque brig Success, Captain Nixon, of 12
guns and 30 men. The Success was, of course, no match for the
Pilgrim, but she put up a stiff fight and did not surrender until
most of her officers were killed or wounded. After the battle,
Captain Hill cruized on the Irish coast, taking several prizes, and
then ran into Sligo Bay and set free all his prisoners. He had taken
eight prizes in six weeks.
On March 24, 1780, Captain Hill resigned command of the Pilgrim
and was succeeded by Joseph Robinson of Salem. Captain Robinson,
like Hugh Hill, was a man of imposing presence, a good sailor and a
good fighter. Under him the Pilgrim was as successful as under her
first commander, and up to October 12, 1782, had sent into Beverly
twelve prizes besides numerous others sent into France, Spain, and
Martinique. One of the prizes sent in in 1782 was the frigate built,
copper bottomed ship Mars carrying 8 eighteen and 16 nine-pound
guns and a crew of 84 men. The Mars was taken after a sharp
battle lasting three hours in which the English vessel lost her
captain and seven others killed and eighteen wounded.
One of the best contested privateer engagements of the war was
the encounter between the Pilgrim and the English ship Mary. On
January 5, 1781, when cruizing in the West Indies, Captain Robinson
sighted a large ship and gave chase. The Pilgrim gained on the
stranger, which made no effort either to seek or avoid an encounter.
Captain Robinson, uncertain as to her real force, set English colors
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 351
and by half-past four was within hailing distance of her starboard
quarter. The usual questions were asked and answered, the strange
vessel reporting herself as the letter of marque ship Mary, Captain
Stoward, while the Pilgrim gave her name as the Success, Captain
Robinson, from Barbados. Captain Robinson then set American
colors and fired the first broadside. This was immediately answered
by the Mary, and the two ships lay yard arm to yard arm, exchang-
ing broadsides and plying each other with musketry. Unfortunately
for the Alary, her captain early in the action received a musket ball
in the shoulder; but still keeping his feet he encouraged his crew to
renewed exertions, until, struck by a piece of langrage in the head,
he fell to the deck mortally wounded. Captain Stoward lived but
a few moments, and his last words to the mate bade him keep up
the fight. This the mate did until midnight, but while the broad-
sides of the two vessels were almost equally effective, the musketry
fire from the Pilgrim was the more accurate and deadly. Finally
the Mary, with several of her guns dismounted, three feet of water
in her hold, five men killed and seventeen wounded, was obliged to
surrender. The Pilgrim had her spars and rigging much cut up,
several shots between wind and water, and could be kept afloat only
by constant pumping.
The English account of the engagement, published in Rivington's
Royal Gazette, states that the ship Mary, Captain Moses Stoward,
sailed from Cork November 20 as a letter of marque. She was a
vessel of 400 tons, armed with 22 guns and carried a crew of 82 men.
December 28 she fell In with a Spanish frigate of 28 guns, and after
an engagement of three hours the Spanish vessel sheered off. The
Blary lost her fore and main topmasts in the action and had not
completed repairs when she met the Pilgrim. According to the
Gazette, Captain Robinson treated his prisoners with great kindness
and courtesy, but the English officers and men left aboard the
captured vessel were robbed of their watches, money and other
personal effects. On their way to port the English prisoners plotted
to retake the Mary and would have been successful, says the writer,
had not the second mate decided to enlist in the American service,
and betrayed the plan. As the prisoners on the Mary exceeded the
prize crew in numbers, the Americans no longer felt safe with the
Englishmen aboard, so the prisoners, officers and men, were bundled
352 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
into the long boat and set adrift 100 leagues to the westward of
Barbados. The boat was provided with mast, spars, sails, compass
and provisions and the prisoners reached land in safety. In this
encounter the Pilgrim had the advantage of the larger crew, though
weight of metal and size of ship v»^ere against her. The English
claimed that the crew of the Pilgrim w^ere mostly Scotch and Irish,
a statement exaggerated no doubt but with a considerable basis of
truth, for the crews of American privateers from 1780 to the end
of the war were largely recruited from English deserters and prisoners.
The day before the battle the Pilgrim took a brig and two days
after the ship Lord Howe.
On iNIay 30, 1782, this advertisement appeared in a Boston paper:
"A part of those fortunate and fast sailing ships, the Pilgrim and
Mohock for sale. Inquire of the printer." It would be interesting
to know whether any sale was made, as within thi-ee months one
was wi-ecked and the other captured by an English vessel.^ American
papers of October 12, 1782, report that the privateer Pilgrim, Captain
Robinson, was chased ashore on Cape Cod by the English frigate
Chatham, "Men, guns and stores saved, but vessel in a dangerous
position." On October 23rd, "At Distil House Wharf, Beverly, all
the stores lately belonging to that well found ship, the Pilgrim, includ-
ing ten pairs of nine-pound cannon, will be sold at auction." On
December 4, 1783, Boston papers advertise: "Ship Pilgrim, from
Beverly for Ireland, Capt. Hugh Hill. Apply for freight to A. & J.
Cabot." It is probable that this was not the original Pilgrim, but
whether she left her bones in the sand of Cape Cod or was saved
for further service she had made a record for Revolutionary privateers
and captured some fifty prizes.
IV
The year 1779 was a disastrous one for the merchants of INIassa-
chusetts. During that part of the year when privateering was natu-
rally most lucrative their armed vessels were employed by the
State in an expedition ^ which afforded neither honor nor profit, and
1 The Boston Gazette of June 24, 1782, stated that the previous Monday,
the prize brig Neptune had been taken by "the Privateer Ship Pilgnm, Capt.
Robinson, of Beverly" (Publications of this Society, xvii. 365 note).
* The Penobscot expedition.
19223 BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 353
its disastrous conclusion left them with little heart for new ventures
or means to make them had they wished to. The story of the Black
Prince and the Defence, the only two vessels of the expedition in which
Beverly capital was invested, was alluded to in the last section.
But two other new commissions were issued to Beverly pri^'atee^s
during the whole year, and these for vessels of trifling force.
On September 1, 1779, on petition of John Dyson in behalf of
Josiah Batchelder, Jr., and others of Beverly, William Groves was
commissioned commander of the sloop Fish Hawk of 50 tons carrying
8 guns and 50 men. The Fish Hawk made one cruize as a privateer
and then under command of Samuel Foster, later of Israel Ober,
both of Beverly, sailed as a letter of marque. In the Hst of officers
and crew of the Fish Hawk who signed as from Beverly on June 6,
1780, the share of prize money each was entitled to receive was 5
shares for the commander, 2}^ shares for the 1st lieutenant, 1 share
each to the mariners, and 3^ a share to the cabin boy.
How large a proportion of the prize money earned on the voyage
of a letter of marque or cruize of a privateer went to each officer
and mariner on the vessel, depended on what share went to the
owners, and this was by no means uniform. The owners of the
privateer Revenge took one-quarter of the prize money, the owners
of the Rambler two-thirds, and there were cases where the division
was two-fifths to the owners and three-fifths to the crew. There
must, however, have been real equality of division and the apparent
difference made up by other factors. The difference could only be
adjusted by the payment of higher wages or giving a larger share
of prize money to the men of the letter of marque. As a matter of
fact, the share of prize money was usually less on a letter of marque
than a privateer, and this must have been made up by high wages. ^
There is considerable doubt whether any wages were paid the
crew of a privateer, and whether the cruize was not a cooperative
one. At any rate, whatever the proportion taken by the owners
the balance was divided, one share to each mariner; 13^ to 2 shares
to each petty officer, boatswain, gunner, carpenter, cooper; 2}4 to
3 shares to the commander and 2nd and 3rd lieutenant of a privateer
or mates of a letter of marque, and the share paid the first mate
1 Wages on vessels in 1779 are quoted at £ 15 to £ 20 per month for ordinary
Beamen. While not so stated, this probably means letter of marque vessels.
354 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [JaN.
was usually one-half that paid the captain or commander, which
might be 5 as in case of the Fish Hawk or 8 as in case of the Resource,
or any number agreed on before sailing.
These shares were negotiable like certificates of stock and com-
manded a high or low price according to the reputation of the vessel,
the skill of the captain, the season of the year, or the necessities of
the seller. The spirit of gambling, always rife in times of war or
inflated currency, made them an attractive speculation and they
were divided like lottery tickets, as indeed they were, into halves,
quarters and eighths and floated on the market. It was necessary
for a married or improvident mariner, signing for a cruize on a pri-
vateer, to make some provision for his family or creditors, and as
this could not be done on advance on his wages he was obliged to sell
the whole or a part of his shares. The following is a t}ipe of a bill
of sale very common in the war: "Beverly 1776, Hiram Brockhorn
in consideration of 16 dollars paid in hand and a further consideration
of 24 doflars at end of cruize of sloop Revenge, Captain Benj. Dean,
sells John Waters one-half of his share of prize money and gives
order on the Agent." Mr. Waters seems to have dealt quite ex-
tensively in this kind of speculation and sometimes paid as high as
one hundred dollars for one-quarter of a share. The last cruize of
the Fish Hawk was made as a privateer under Captain Foster and
she was taken while following the Quebec fleet in the summer of
1781.
The only other privateer commissioned from Beverly in 1779
was the little schooner Adventure belonging to Larkin Thorndike
and Sewell Tuck. She was 45 tons burden, armed with 6 carriage
and 8 swivel guns, carried a crew of 35 men and was commanded
by Robert Newman. A few months later William James of Beverly
was commissioned commander, and she made some fairly successful
cruizes. While under command of Captain James, the Adventure is
accused of having stolen from Mr. Trask of Cape Persue, Nova
Scotia, 64 hogsheads of salt and a boat, and complaint to that effect
was made to the Massachusetts Council. In his petition, Mr. Trask
allows that the salt has been returned but wishes to recover the boat
also.
The year 1780 opened under the most depressing conditions.
"Our present state with respect to provision," writes Washington,
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE ROVOLUTION 355
January 8th, " is the most distressing of any we have experienced
since the beginning of the war. For a fortnight past the troops,
both officers and men, have been almost perishing for want. They
have been alternately without bread or meat the whole time, and
frequently destitute of both." The inhabitants of the seaport towns
of Massachusetts were not so badly off as Washington's starving
troops, but from the early months of 1779 until the coming of the
French in 1780 the growing scarcity of food excited the liveliest
apprehension. On February 29, 1779, George Williams writes to
Colonel Pickering:
In this State on the sea coast the inhabitants will soon have nothing
to eat. A biscuit is worth six shillings. No flour to be had. Many
merchants have closed. One more such month will destroy all faith
in our money. Rum 72 to 96 shillings a gallon. Ordinary broadcloth
eleven pounds a yard. Tea 72 shillings a pound. Sugar 40 to 70 pounds
a hundred weight. Silk stockings seven pounds. One pocket handker-
chief 40 shillings. For a vomit or a purge, one pound. I remember
the saying of your good father, "No faith in paper money."
Again on April 6, 1779, he writes: "We are in great distress for
want of food. Flour 40 to 50 pounds a hundredweight and none to
be had."
George Williams was something of a pessimist, and it is not prob-
able that the people of the seacoast towns suffered so much from
hunger as they were inconvenienced by loss of their usual food. Al-
though merchantable cod were hard to obtain, the ocean at their
feet still offered inexhaustible supplies of small fish; lobsters and
clams could be had for the gathering, and few families w^ere so poor
as not to have their own kitchen garden. By 1780 the cost of fitting
out a privateer was so great, the chance of getting a prize into port
so small, that most merchants preferred to send out their vessels
as letters of marque. The firm of J. & A. Cabot, however, made one
more venture and fitted out a new privateer, the Essex. The Essex
was a ship of 200 tons, carrying 20 six-pound guns and a crew of
140 men. On ISIay 6, 1780, John Cathcart of Salem was commis-
sioned commander. The Essex sent a number of prizes into Beverly,
but was taken by the English frigate Queen Charlotte June 10, 1781.
A letter \\Titten bv an officer of the Essex gives an account of the
356 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
remarkable meeting on the high seas of several of Mr. Cabot's vessels
and the loss of the Essex:
Sailed from Beverly May 22nd 1781. June 6th made out a sail, gave
signal and the vessel came alongside. It was the Pilgrim, Captain
Robinson, and he had taken five prizes from the Jamaica fleet. Capt.
Robinson, being the senior, ordered our Captain to cruize with him on
the Irish coast. Next day saw a sail and gave chase. Came up with
her and it was the Defence of Beverly.^ She kept company with us.
Next day chased a brig which we found to be from Barbadoes for Cork,
prize to the Rambler of Beverly. Next day a sail was discovered and
the Pilgrim gave chase, we following, and the Defence following us.
About nine A.M. saw another sail and gave chase and found her too
heavy for us. Proved to be the Queen Charlotte of 32 guns, and we had
to surrender. The Pilgrim came up with her chase and found her to
be the Rambler.
All these vessels were at one time either owned or controlled by
Mr. Cabot.
Another vessel in which Mr. Cabot was interested this year was
the Junius Brutus of Salem. This was a ship of 200 tons, carrying 20
guns and 120 men. On May 23, 1780, on petition of Joshua Ward
and Henry Rust, John Leach was commissioned commander. She
was afterwards commanded by John Brooks and later by Nathaniel
Brookhouse, both of Salem, and while under command of the former
had a well contested engagement with the English ship Experiment,
lasting three glasses. The Experiment mounted 18 long sixes and
carried the then very valuable cargo of 1500 barrels of flour. The
Experiment finally surrendered with a loss of two killed and two
wounded. The Junius Brutus during her privateer life sent 890 tons
of prizes into Salem and was captured in the autumn of 1782 and
sent in to Newfoundland.
Another privateer said to have been owned in Beverly but whose
commission does not appear in the State Archives, was the brig Eagle
of unknoMm tonnage and armament. According to her return of
officers and crew June 17, 1780, William Groves of Beverly was
commander. The Eagle was taken by an English vessel July 21,
^ The Defence was a vessel built by Mr. Cabot to take the place of the brig-
antine Defence lost in the Penobscot expedition.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 357
1780. She is said to have been owned by James Lovett and jMoses
Brown of Beverly.
The brigantine Active, 150 tons, 12 guns and 60 men, Nathaniel
Swasey commander, owned by Andrew Cabot and others of Beverly,
a former letter of marque, sailed this year as a privateer. In 1781
she was commanded by Captain John Patten of Beverly and was
captured by an English vessel and carried into Halifax.
The year 1781 opened under brighter auspices. The arrival of
the French fleet and army and the mflux of gold consequent, served
to steady our currency and improve trade. Pri^'ateering, however,
was becoming every day more hazardous. The English merchant
vessels either sailed as heavily armed letters of marque or under
convoy of ships of war. The English fleet controlled our coast and
made the departure and entrance of our vessels this time of greatest
danger. Only five privateers, other than those already mentioned,
sailed from Beverly during the year 1781 — the Scourge, Dolphin,
Buccanier, Diana, and Mohawk.
The Scourge was a fine new ship of 240 tons, carrying 20 guns and
117 men, owned by Brown and Thorndike of Beverly. On May 24,
1781, Timothy Parker of Norwich, Connecticut, was commissioned
commander. She sailed on her first cruize from Portsmouth, where
she was probably built, June 14, 1781, her signal being ensign at
main top gallant masthead, pennant at mizzen head.^ Most of her
cruizing was done in the West Indies and she sent several prizes
into Martinique, and the brig Neptune and sloop Crawford into Bev-
erly. The Scourge was taken by an English vessel April 22, 1782,
and sent into Barbados.
The Dolphin was a little schooner of 40 tons, 6 guns and 35 men,
owned by William Homans and others of Beverly and commanded
by Joseph Knowlton.
The schooner Diana, commissioned August 20, 1781, was one of
the lightest armed privateers that sailed from Beverly during the
war. She carried 4 guns and 20 men, was commanded by Richard
Lakeman of Ipswich and owned by Joseph Swasey of Salem and
several Beverly merchants.
One of the largest, finest and most fortunate privateers sailing
from Beverly during the war was J. & A. Cabot's ship Buccanier of
1 Diary of Moses Brown.
358 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF RIASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
350 tons, carrying 18 nine-pounders and a crew of 150 men. The
Buccanier was a new and fast ship built especially for privateering,
and on August 3, 1781, Hoystead Hacker of Providence, Rhode
Island, once commander of the Continental sloop Providence, was
commissioned commander. She made one cruize in the English
Channel under Captain Hacker, was coppered at L'Orient and then
returned to Beverly. On March 22, 1782, Jesse Pearson of Salem
succeeded Captain Hacker, and the Buccanier returned to her old
cruizing ground where, in company with the Cicero and Revolution,
she remained until the end of the war. The Buccanier sent many
prizes into Prance and a few to the home ports, and arrived back
in Beverly in the month of June, 1783.
November 8, 1781, on petition of William Leach, William Bartlett
and others of Beverly, Elias Smith was commissioned commander
of the ship Mohawk. This was a new vessel built especially for
cruizing and carried 20 six-pounders, and a crew of 130 men. On
her first cruize she sent three prizes into Martinique and one, the
ship Daniel, formerly the Salem Packet, into Beverly. John Carnes
of Beverly succeeded Captain Smith September 6, 1782, and when
fourteen days out w^as taken by the English ship Enterprise and sent
into New York.
The year 1782, though offering bright prospects for American
patriots, brought little comfort to the owners of American privateers.
The surrender of Cornwallis meant ultimate triumph, but general
bankruptcy seemed still more imminent. Privateering had turned
out badly and many merchants had had the same experience as
George Williams, who writes to Colonel Pickering: "I have lost
two ships and a brig at St. Eustasia by that old Rodney and
now I am reduced to a brig."^ Beverly had fared better than
some of the seaport towns, and in the month of October, 1781,
had owned the following vessels, as given in the Nathan Dane
Papers :
1 The Island of St. Eustatius was the great neutral port of the West Indies.
When taken by Lord Rodney it was crowded with French, English, and American
vessels and the booty was immense. It was captured before the governor had
received news of war between England and Holland and he made no resistance,
though 600 American seamen, crews of privateers and letters of marque in port,
offered their services in defence of the city.
1922] BEVEF.LY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 359
Pilgrim 140 tons
Buccanier 180 tons
Mohawk 170 tons
Revolution 270 tons
Cicero 250 tons
Ramliler 165 tons
Scourge 120 tons
Swift 40 tons
Lyon , . . . 300 tons
Chance S5 tons
Two Friends 85 tons
Two sloops 30 tons
Hulks 620 tons
2455 tons
The tonnage of the vessels in this list is much underestimated and
was probably meant for the assessors.
It is probable that the Revolution was commissioned in 1781,
but the first record of her commission in the State Archives is on
March 6, 1782, when, on petition of John and Andrew Cabot, Stephen
Webb was commissioned commander. The Rewlution carried the
heaviest armament of any privateer sailing from Beverly during the
war. She w^as a ship of 330 tons armed with 20 nine-pound guns
and carried a crew of 130 men. Immediately after his appointment
Captain Webb sailed for France, had his vessel coppered at L'Orient
and cruized in the English Channel until the close of the war. The
Revolution sent many prizes into France and returned to Beverly
after peace was declared. At a later period she was the cause of the
severance of the friendly relations between the house of Cabot and
the firm of Joseph Gardoqui & Sons of Bilbao, Spain. In 1785 some
member of the firm of J. & A. Cabot writes to Joseph Gardoqui:
Our house have now lying at Boston a ship of the most exquisite
workmanship, beautiful beyond description, substantial, strong and free
from defects. She is about 400 tons and cost upwards of 6000 guineas.
She was built in 1782, and is well calculated for a packet or the West
India trade. We are anxious to sell the vessel or put her into some
channel where she, with her cargo, might be commissioned to our
friends in Europe.
After much correspondence Gardoqui bought half of the Revolution
for 1100 guineas on the understanding that she should be loaded
on their joint account and sent to Europe. The Revolution, however.
360 THE COLONL^L SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
while fitted for a privateer, carried too little cargo to be profitable
as a merchant vessel, and Gardoqui & Sons insisted that they had
been imposed upon and resented it.
The Shaker has the distinction of being the only galley sailing
from Beverly during the war, and one of the very few owned in the
State. Like the galleys of the Mediterranean, these vessels spread
a large amount of canvas and only used their sweeps in a calm or
when going to windv^^ard. The Shaker measured 50 tons, and carried
6 four-pounders and a crew of 40 men. May 8, 1782, on petition
of J. & A. Cabot, Samuel Stacy of Newburj-port was commissioned
commander. The next year Brown and Thorndike owned the Shaker
and James Lovett^ of Beverly commanded her. The Shaker sent
several prizes into Beverly and was sold at auction after the war.
During the war cases of the recapture of the prize vessel by her
imprisoned crew were quite common, but for a captured crew to re-
take their own vessel and seize that of their captors is almost unique.
Such, however, was the good fortune of the little brigantine Hojye,
owned and commanded by Herbert Woodberry of Beverly .^ Al-
though brigantine rigged, the Hope was only 60 tons burthen, carry-
ing 6 guns and 35 men. September 25, 1782, while cruizing on the
coast of Newfoundland, the Hope, Captain Woodberry, was taken
by the Prince Edward, a large Nova Scotia privateer, a prize crew
put aboard the Hope, and Captain Woodberry and his crew confined
on the Prince Edward. After the action the two vessels ran into a
small harbor in Labrador, called Chateau, to refit, and while lying
there Captain Woodberry and his men arranged a plan to rise on their
captors, some sixty in number, and seize the vessel. All their plans
were completed and the watchword "Liberty" given out, but the
morning of the day chosen Captain Sunmond of the Prijice Edward
decided to go on shore fishing and nothing would do but that Captain
Woodberry must accompany him. After some excuses, afraid of
exciting suspicion, Captain Woodberry consented and the two cap-
tains were rowed ashore. The plan still held, however, and during
their absence the crew of the Hope suddenly rushed on the unsuspect-
ing Englishmen, disarmed them, seized the Prince Edward and retook
' James Lovett (1749-1789), son of Benjamin and Eleonora (Cleaves) Lovett.
2 Herbert Woodberry (1745-1809), son of Jacob and Abigail (Thorndike)
Woodberry.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 361
the Hoi)e. When Captain Simmonds returned from his jBshing
trip he found himself on a hostile vessel and was obliged to surrender
to his late prisoner. There were too many prisoners to risk taking
them on the two vessels, so they were all set at liberty. The prize
brig Prince Edward of 160 tons, armed with 16 four-pounders, and
the little Hope reached Beverly in safety and the former was sold
at auction. She proved to be the privateer Wilkes, late of Gloucester,
which had been taken by the English and renamed Pri7ice Edward.
That same summer the Hoj^e was party to a less creditable action,
the attack on the town of Lunenburg. There had been a number
of cases where our privateers had plundered the defenceless people
of Nova Scotia, but in almost every case brought to then- attention
the General Court had given redress.^ The attack on Lunenburg
occurred, however, at a time when public opinion was running high
against the inhabitants of Nova Scotia, some of whom were claimed
to have acted as spies while trading with Massachusetts. Lunenburg
was a small town in Nova Scotia containing four or five hundred
inhabitants, defended by two blockliouses garrisoned by a few regular
troops. Five small privateers, the brigantine Hoije, Captain Wood-
berry, the schooner Dolphin, Captain Knowlton, both of Beverly,
the schooner Scammell, Captain Stoddard, the schooner Hero, Captain
Babcock, and the Swallow, Captain Tibbets, joined forces and raided
the town. Ninety-two men from the privateers, under Lieutenant
Bateman, landed at four in the morning about three miles from the
town and marched undiscovered until they came to the first block-
house which was garrisoned by a few soldiers and armed with an
18 pound cannon. The Americans had brought no artillery with
1 Complaints against John Leach, commander of the schooner Dolphin, that
he took 30 pounds of rice and 45 quarts of brandy from some Nova Scotians.
(Massachusetts Archives, ccxxvii. 210.) On January 20, 1780, the General
Court passed this resolve:
"Whereas it appears to the court that several small ] privateers have committed
many robberies above high water mark on the inhabitants of Nova Scotia. There-
fore resolved that this court do highly disapprove the conduct of any persons
belonging to and commissioned from the State in the business of privateering
and also resolved that when any commission shall be given out in future to
small armed vessels they give good and sufficient bonds for the purpose of pre-
venting such evils again taking place."
It is perhaps not strange that ignorant men did not appreciate the difference
between robberies above and below high water mark.
362 THE €OLONL\L SOCIETY OF ilASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
them, but they succeeded in setting the blockhouse on fire and the
garrison surrendered. One blockhouse still remained, but by this
time the Hero had run into the harbor and a few well directed shots
from her 4-pound guns ended all resistance.-' "The Americans
now," says an English account of the affair, "fell to plundering
with a pleasing and natural vivacity." The grocery stores were
emptied of their contents and barrels of beef and pork, sugar and
rum rolled down to the wharves. The shelves of the clothing stores
were thoroughly rifled and when everything of value had been looted
?,nd the house of the commander burned, the town was ransomed
for one thousand pounds. Goods to the amount of 8,000 pounds
were brought away and libelled in the prize court at Boston. "On
the side of the brave sons of liberty," says a Boston paper, "three
men were wounded, on the side of the abettors of despotism and
oppression, one man was killed." In retaliation for this attack the
Chatham and two other English men of war were ordered to cruize
on the bank and burn every American vessel taken, fishing vessels
included, though these had previously been unmolested.
The last and also the smallest privateer commissioned from Bev-
erly during the war was the schooner Hopewell, of 25 tons, carrying
10 swivels and 40 men. She was owned by William Romans of
Beverly and commanded July 26, 1782, by Cornelius Dunham,
later by Martin Brewster. On ^Nlarch 26, 1783, the official recall
of privateers was made by the State of Massachusetts.
During the Revolutionary War commerce between the United
States and neutral nations and their colonies, though carried on
under great difficulties, by no means ceased. Practically there was
a perpetual embargo on all vessels in American ports, except those
engaged in fishing, but permission to sail with specified articles of
export was usually granted in Massachusetts on petition to the
Council. The exports from IMassachusetts during the war were
limited to lumber in its various forms, dry and pickled fish, and
small amounts of New England rum. Provisions of all kinds were
1 Schooner Hero, 26 tons, 9 guns (short guns) and 20 men. May 27, 1782,
George W. Babcock, commander. This is the onh' case noted by me where
short guns (carronades) were used on a privateer.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 363
too much needed for home consumption to be used for export and
even dried fish was often scarce. The Council therefore vacillated
between the fear of high prices and destitution at home, and the
necessity of allowing some articles of export in order to obtain
supplies of another character. Under these conditions commerce
was carried on by a system of frauds, to be explained later, which
however was understood and winked at by the government.
Prior to the time when France became an ally of the United States
numerous vessels laden with war materials and supplies reached this
country from that nation, but this was political rather than mer-
cantile trade, and was accomplished by means of fraudulent papers.^
French vessels cleared for the West Indies, and when near the
American coast ran into some convenient port and discharged cargo.
Commerce by Massachusetts vessels was carried on in three ways:
first, by unarmed merchant vessels, mostly coasting voyages; second,
by the State in State vessels, or ships chartered for that purpose;
third, by means of armed vessels provided with letters of marque.
The first method was carried on by small sloops and schooners and
included a curious trade with Nova Scotia. The second was not an
economic success, but enabled the State to obtain articles of which
it had great need. The third, that by letters of marque, did the
bulk of the commerce.
Trade by unarmed vessels consisted of coasting voyages to South
Carolina for rice, or IMaryland for flour, and was, of course, carried
on in American vessels. The trade with Nova Scotia, on the other
hand, was carried on by small craft belonging to that province.
The towns of Barrington and Yarmouth were largely settled by
people from Essex and Barnstable counties, in Massachusetts, and
their trade and interest were chiefly with the Bay State.^ When
war came they were shut off from trade with Halifax by the American
privateers, and, neglected by the English, had no market for their
1 "A number of Frenchmen at Nantes have united to build six brigantines
carrying from ten to eighteen guns, three of which are ready for saihng, the
best calculated vessels for the American purpose I ever saw. I am confident
they will sail fast and they are as sharp as a wedge. They will clear for the
French West Indies." (Auckland Manuscripts.)
2 E. D. Poole's Annals of Yarmouth and Barrington (Nova Scotia) in the
Revolutionary War (1899) contains a very interesting account of these Nova
Scotians during the war.
364 THE COLOXLVL SOCIETY OF ]\L^.SSACHUSETTS [Jan.
fish and potatoes except New England. They made some attempts
to be declared neutral, but these failed and they remained through-
out the war ignored by the English and suspected by the Americans.
Out of these peculiar conditions arose a limited trade, illegitimate
in its nature but winked at by the government of Massachusetts so
long as it suited their purpose. This trade was carried on under
two pretexts, the first, based on the fact that so many inhabitants
of Yarmouth and Barrington came from jMassachusetts and had
relations in the States, and the second, on the relief and transporta-
tion of escaped and parolled prisoners. For example, May 14, 1777,
Daniel Corning petitions the General Court that he may be per-
mitted to remove his family from Yarmouth to Beverly, and also
sell 200 quintals of fish which he had brought with him. This petition
was accompanied by a letter from Josiah Batchelder, Jr., of Beverly,
stating that Corning was a former resident of that town, who had
emigrated to Nova Scotia before the war, and was a worthy person.
Mr. Corning made a number of these voyages and as late as August
30, 1780, petitions for leave to sell 150 quintals of fish and carry
back to Nova Scotia a certain amount of flour, rum and sugar.
Incidentally, he states that he has not yet found time to transport
his family. This petition is the type of many others, all based on
the fiction that the petitioner wishes to remove his family from one
country to another.
Another frequent visitor to Beverly was Thomas Flint of Yarmouth,
who varies the formula somewhat. He ^VTites the Council that he
has arrived at Beverly in his schooner Hannah, bringing a number
of escaped prisoners, ten hogsheads of salt and a quantity of dried
fish, and asks permission to sell his cargo and invest the proceeds in
supplies that he may be able to continue the good work and later
bring his family to Beverly. The real object of these petitions, of
course, was the trade and no removal of families took place, but
Massachusetts merchants needed dried fish and salt and were glad
to sell the sugar from their prizes and the fiery rum from their
distilleries, and so the trade went on.
The State trade had one advantage, that against it no embargo
held. If sulphur or saltpetre was needed for powder, blankets for
the troops or rice and flour for rations, it had only to dispatch one
of its own vessels and, barring the accidents of war and sea, the
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 365
material was secured. The voyage of the sloop Republic, one of the
State vessels, is chronicled in the State Archives. The Republic,
under charge of Allen Hailet, afterwards commander of the privateer
Franklin, sailed from Boston for Port Royal in the autumn of 1777,
with a cargo consisting of 35 hogsheads of fish, 25 tierces of salmon,
ten barrels of pork, an unstated amount of pickled mackerel, 56,000
shingles and 500 hoops, all consigned to Allen Hailet for sale. The
Republic reached Port Royal in safety although pursued by an
English cruizer, and on November 25, 1777, Allen Hailet writes to
the Naval Board: "The fish being old and not well packed turned
out so bad that I had to make an allowance of four li\Tes. The
salmon was exceedingly good, but are extremely unsalable here.
The mackerel were spoiled and I was glad to get them out of the
ship. Many of the boards were thrown overboard when we were
chased on the voyage. The ox bows and yokes are little used by the
French. After ballasting the vessel with rum and molasses I have
employed the rest of the money in coffee." The Republic reached
Boston on her return voyage with a cargo consisting of 88 hogs-
heads and two tierces of molasses, 114 puncheons of rum, 38 barrels
of coffee and tlu-ee pieces of sheeting. This voyage shows quite
clearly the lack of efficiency in public as compared with private
ventures.
On March 22, 1778, George Williams wi-ites to Colonel Pickering:
"State expects a brig from France with clothing, another brig in
about two weeks, also two large ships bringing salt and blankets.
One brig gone to Bilbao for salt and cordage and a brig and a ship
to Carolina and France." Besides the State vessels many ships were
chartered or bought from private owners, one at least from BcA'erly.
On February 21st Nathan Leach of Beverly sells his ship Content,
Captain William Langdell, to Captain Williams for the State service,
to be delivered at Falmouth, and on IMarch 18th receives this
acknowledgement: "Received of Capt. William Langdell the ship
Content which I am to load with masts by order of the Board of
War. Signed, Wm. Frost."
Sometimes when pressed for money the State entered into a
limited partnership with rich merchants and divided the profits
with them. February 25, 1779, the Board of War at Boston writes
to Captain Batchelder at Beverly: "The Board being engaged to
366 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
import rice and flour for the use of the State, would request you to
use your influence among the monied men in Beverly and secure
any sum of money they can advance to assist the public." The
letter then goes on to say that it will be necessary to find several
sloops of 50 to 70 tons to go to Maryland for flour and to Carolina
for rice, and the Board will allow one-half of the rice and one-third
of the flour brought back in payment. Owners to pay insurance
and all other charges.
Commerce, however, carried on by the State and unarmed vessels
was inconsiderable, and it was by letter of marque vessels that most
of the trading was done. A letter of marque had the advantage
over the privateer In that she cleared for some port with a cargo on
which, if safely delivered, there was a good profit, and she was also
by her letters empowered to take any vessel of the enemy that came
in her way. In the early days of the war most of the letter of marque
vessels were lightly armed and manned, but after 1780 some heavily
armed letter of marque vessels made the voyage an incident and
cruizing the real object.
The commercial as well as the privateering history of Beverly is
closely connected with the house of Cabot. Prior to the outbreak
of the War of the Revolution the firm of John & Andrew Cabot
carried on a large trade with Bilbao, Spain, their correspondents,
as already stated, being the firm of Gardoqui & Sons. From 1770
to 1775 they employed the sloops Tryall and Sally, the brigantine
Union and the ship Rambler. The captains in their employ were
George Cabot, Benjamin Lovett, Stephen Cleveland, Zacharlah
Burchmore, and Thomas Simmons. On April 20, 1776, George
Cabot writes to Gardoqui & Sons: "The bearer of this, my brother,
Mr. Francis Cabot, is upon a plan of spending some four months
abroad, and is desirous of being aboard the Rambler, Capt. George
Cabot, where he may have the pleasure of his brother's society.
Please forward him letters of introduction and credit. I shall in
a few days set out for Philadelphia v/here I have resided since these
unhappy times commenced." For some reasons, probably of a
business and political nature, John and George Cabot both sailed
for Europe that same spring. September 7, 1776, the three Cabot
brothers were at Bilbao, prepared to return home. It did not seem
prudent to risk so many members of the firm in one vessel, so
1922] BE-\nERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 867
George Cabot sailed for Newbur\T3ort on a vessel commanded by
Captain St. Barbe, Francis on the privateer Flaivk, Captain Lee,
and John on his own ship the Union, Captain Burchmore. The
Cabot boys all arrived safe and on March 27, 1777, Andrew Cabot
writes the Council: "The Hector has recently arrived from Spain
with a cargo of brandy. Your petitioners have furnished said vessel
abroad with eight carriage guns and a due proportion of swivels and
small arms. She carried these guns on her return trip and might
have taken several prizes but for want of proper warrant. Your
petitioners therefor request such warrant and a commission for
Zachariah B urchmore. ' '
The Union, now bearing the more warlike name of Hector, of 150
tons, 8 guns and 17 men, was the first letter of marque to sail from
Beverly. She was owned by the Cabots and William Bartlett of
Beverly.
Another vessel owned by the Cabots at this tmie was the ship
Rambler. Although no record of her commission as a letter of marque
appears in the State Archives until 1779, there is a petition signed by
Andrew Cabot of Beverly and George Dodge of Salem, dated
February 18, 1777, asking that the ship Rambler be permitted to
sail in ballast for Carolina, there take on a cargo of rice and sail
for some neutral port in Europe, giving bonds that she will bring
back salt, woolens and naval stores and give the State the first
chance to purchase. This petition was granted July 18, 1777, and
on October 18th Andrew Cabot writes Gardoqui & Sons:
The Rambler, Capt. Simmons, which is owned by George Dodge and
myself, and the ship Sally, Capt. Buffinton, in which I am also mterested
and Elias H. Derby's ship, Three Friends, are expected to arrive at Bilbao
about the same time. The Three Friends carries 300 casks of rice for
the Rambler and the Rambler 300 casks for the Sally. Capt. Simmons
cargo is worth 16 to IS thousand dollars, Buffinton's 13 thousand
dollars. In the former I own one-thhd, in the latter three-sixteenths.
Insurance at this time was very high and some merchants preferred
to spread then risks and insure themselves. At a later date Benjamin
Lovett insured the Rambler for S 15,000 at the low rate of 35 per cent.
It is probable that the ship Rambler here referred to was the same
vessel afterwards commanded by Captain Lovett, but nothing more
368 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
is heard ox her until September 16, 1779, when on petition of Andrew
Cabot and others of Beverly, Benjamin Lovett was commissioned
master of the ship Rambler of 200 tons, carrying 14 six-pound guns
and 50 men.^ From the date of her commission to the end of the
war, Captain Lovett commanded the Rambler, and during that time
she sailed between Beverly and Bilbao, Spain, with almost the
regularity of a packet.
In 1781, the Defence, Captain John Edmonds, and the Rambler,
Captain Lovett, sailed from Beverly for Bilbao. They reached that
port, taking several prizes on the way, and after discharging cargo
went on a cruize in company and among other prizes sent in to
Bilbao two English privateers, the Snajyper^ and the Snal'e. About
this time Andrew Cabot wrote Gardoqui that he wished him to pick
out one or two suitable vessels among the prizes to be used as
privateers. Had his letter reached Bilbao in time it is probable that
one or both of these vessels would have sailed from BcA'erly as
privateers, but as it was, Gardoqui wrote to Mr. Cabot: "We are
exceedingly sorry that the kind order for the purchase of one or
two armed vessels had not reached us sooner, as we then would
have had the opportunity of appropriating for your use the Snapper
and the Snake, which we imagine would have been the only ones
which might have suited your purpose. At present there is only
the Mercury, and Capt. Lovett does not seem to encourage our
taking her on your account." In the same letter Gardoqui states
that Captain Lovett talks of going on a cruize in the Rambler with
Captain Robinson in the Pilgrim, and Captain Hill in the Cicero.
It is probable that he did not carry out his intention, as the Rambler
arrived at Beverly November 9, 1781. Besides the prizes sent into
Bilbao by the Rambler, the prize brigantines Mary and Charming
Polly were sent into the home port.
The Rambler sailed again from Beverly, March 6, 1782, and
Andrew Cabot was evidently in doubt where to send her or what
to do with her. In his letter of instruction for the voyage, dated
February 12, 1782, Mr. Cabot directs Captain Lovett to proceed
^ There was also a brig Rambler captured by the English frigate Harriet Selvyl
in 1779.
- The Snapper, Capt. Taylor, was a famous letter of marque from Liverpool?
and had taken many American vessels.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 369
first to the Havana and leaves his subsequent course to his own
discretion. He can go to Cadiz or any European port but he is on
no account to return to the United States for one year. If he thinks
best he can sell the Rambler abroad for $40,000 and invest the money
at interest. When he returns home he is to head for Martha's Vine-
yard and wait there until he can get information of any English
cruizers in the bay. Two-thirds of the prizes are to be the property
of the Rambler's owners. The signal for the Rambler and her prizes
is to be ensign and pennant at main top gallantmast head, ensign
above pennant. What happened to the Rambler during the ensuing
year does not appear, but on February 13, 1783, she was reported
at Virginia with a cargo of sugar from Cuba, and on March 18, 1783,
she was advertised to sail for Ireland, Hugh Hill, master. If the
Rambler commissioned in 1779 was identical with the Rambler
owned by the Cabots in 1775, then she has the distinction of being
one of the very few vessels in active service during the whole war.
But at any rate, the Rambler, next to the Cicero, was the most
fortunate and successful of all the letter of marque vessels sailing
from Beverly.
There were a number of small vessels owned in Beverly, not all
letters of marque, whose names are only learned accidentally and
which do not seem to have been included in the list in the Dane
Papers. Such a vessel was the Sally, ^ a sloop of 48 tons, owned
three-quarters by Andrew Cabot and one-quarter by Thomas
Bridges. The Sally ran regular trips between Beverly and Boston
during all the war. From 1779 to 1784 she was commanded by
Captain Arnold Martin, a native of Marblehead, and his wages
for the five years amounted to £602.
Another vessel sailing from Beverly, of which there is no record
in the State Archives, was the schooner Friendship, owned by
Ebenezer Ellingwood, grandson of Ralph Ellingwood, one of the
original settlers of Beverly. The Friendship was commanded in
1774 by Eleazer Giles, Mr. Ellingwood's son-in-law, and there is in
the Dane Papers the original insurance policy taken on the Friendship
for a trip to the West Indies in 1774.
It should be said in explanation that considerable insurance was
Mr. Cabot had at one time a ship, a schooner, and a Bloop all named Sally.
370 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
done by private individuals, usually for small sum. Joseph Lee and
Henry Thorndike of Beverly and many of the Salem merchants did
a little of this business, which was no doubt profitable and certainly
exciting. The policy ran as follows:
Know all men that Ebenezer Ellingwood of Beverly, Merchant, as
well in his own Name and Names of all and every other person or
persons, to whom the Town doth, may or Shall apportion a Part or
in all, doth make, Assure and Causeth himself and them and any of
them to be insured, lost or not lost, the sum of Two hundred pounds
from Beverly to Any and All the ports in the West Indies, and from
them to Beverly again, upon the Schooner Friendship and Cargo,
Stoves, Boats and Appurtances, whereof is Master, Under God,
Eleazer Giles. To continue and endure the Voyage Aforesaid and
until Said Vessel shall be assured and Moored at Anchor 24 hours
in safety in the harbor of Beverly. Insurance at the rate of eight
pounds per cent.
Salkm, June 24, 1774.
N. B. It is agreed between the Insured and the Insurer that in case
Said Vessel leaves the West Indies on or before Aug. 10 and arrives
at Beverly safe then two of the Above 8 per cent is to be Returned.
The 10 of Aug. being Inserted before Signing. 100 pounds. Benjamin
Pickman for 100 pounds.
Nothing more is heard of the schooner Friendship until February
2, 1778, when the New York Gazette and Mercury reports: "Ship
Tom, Capt. Lee, fell in with the schooner Friendship, Capt. Elling-
wood, from Salem for Surinam, loaded with fish and lumber. Took
her and sent her into Liverpool. The day after, the Tom took the
privateer schooner Warren of Beverly." The ship Tom was a Liver-
pool letter of marque, carrying 22 six-pound guns, commanded by
Captain John Lee, and four years later by a kind of retributive
justice while on a voyage from St. Lucie, laden with sugar, the Tom,
still under Captain Lee, was taken by the Porus, Captain John
Carnes of Beverly. Ebenezer Ellingwood also owned in 1777 one-
quarter of the sloop Beverly, the other three-quarters being owned
by Eleazer Giles, John Hale, and Benjamin Waters.
The only other letter of marque sailing from Beverly in 1777 was
the brigantine Starks, owned by John and Andrew Cabot. She was
a vessel of 120 tons carrying 8 four-pound guns and a crew of 20
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 371
men. On December 8, 1777, Richard Quatermass was commissioned
captain, who was succeeded on October 16, 1779, by Ezra Ober.
It was during this year, 1777, that the women of Beverly made
their famous raid on the storehouses of the Beverly merchants and
compelled them, for the time at least, to sell at the prices fixed by
the State. The rise of prices which began in 1776 was due not only
to depreciation of the currency but also to actual scarcity. There
was plenty of rice in Carolina and flour in jNIaryland, but its distri-
bution was a matter of difficulty. Codfishing, the staple industry of
Massachusetts, was confined to the seacoast, or if carried on at the
banks was attended with great danger of capture. Coffee, sugar,
cocoa and molasses could only be obtained by hazardous voyages to
the West Indies or by capture of the enemy's vessels. Under these
conditions prices were naturally high and ever rising. January 25,
1777, in accordance with previous conferences and agreements with
other New England States, the General Court of Massachusetts
passed an act to prevent monopoly and oppression.^ Farm labor
was not to exceed 30 shillings per week in summer; wheat 7 shillings
6 pence a bushel; flour four and a half pence a pound; salt pork in
proportion to the amount of salt used in curing; salt 10 shillings, or
if made in the State 12 shillings.^ West India rum, 6 shillings 8
pence a gallon; New England rum 3 shillings 10 pence a gallon;
sugar 3 pounds a hundred weight; butter 2 pence a pound; milk
2^ pence a quart; potatoes 1 shilling 4 pence a bushel. Beverly at
this time rivalled Salem in the number of its stores and quality of
goods displayed, and it was to Beverly that George Williams came
September 23, 1777, to purchase shoes, blankets, stockings and yarn
for the State, but would not buy on account of high prices. "Went
to Beverly again Nov. 3rd," he writes, "and found shoes 24 shillings
a pair, blankets 9 pounds and stockings 20 shillings, would not buy."
The women of Beverly, however, were not like George Williams
content with the refusal to buy but determined to make the mer-
chants of Beverly sell at the fixed prices and, "One cold November
morning," says Mr. Stone, "a company of about sixty . . . marched
1 Cf. Publications of this Society, x. 116-134, xx. 1 63-190.
2 The first salt works were established at Dennis, Cape Cod, in 1776. After-
wards several towms went into the business, Gloucester having three. Cf. 1
Proceedings Massachusetts Historical Society, xv. 22-i.
372 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
in regular order down ]Main and Bartiett streets to the wharves,
attended by two ox-carts."^ With the assistance of some men who
followed the procession, the doors of one of the sugar-houses were
forced and two hogsheads of sugar rolled out and placed in the cart.
At this juncture the Beverly merchants effected a compromise by
which a certain amount of sugar should be sold at the fixed price
and the incident was closed.
VI
The number of letter of marque vessels sailing from Beverly in
1778 was small, though doubtless there were more than are recorded
in the State Archives. The first vessel commissioned was the brig-
antine Saratoga, of 120 tons, 8 guns and 30 men, owned by Andrew
Cabot, Joseph Lee and others of Beverly. Her first captain was
John Tittle^ of Beverly, best known for his successful defence against
great odds while in command of a Marblehead vessel. In 1782 the
ship Cato, Captain John Tittle, of 14 guns and 57 men, sailed as a
letter of marque from jNIarblehead for Virginia. On the voyage she
was attacked by three privateers, the Fair American, Digby, and
Prince Edward, mounting 16, 14 and 8 guns respectively. For two
hours the Cato fought the three vessels, nearly treble her strength,
sometimes at long gunshot, often yard arm to yard arm, while
Captain Tittle, now heading a rush to repulse boarders, now threaten-
ing to run any man through who flinched from the guns, manoeuvered
his vessel so skilfully that when night came he eluded his antagonists
and escaped in the darkness. "The brave officer who defended the
Cato," says the Salem Gazette, "has the thanks of her owners and
the applause of the public." The Saratoga was afterwards com-
manded by Stephen Webb, Eleazer Giles, and x\ndrew Thorndike.
While under command of Captain Giles the Saratoga had an en-
counter with an English vessel during which the captain lost his
leg, the amputation being done by the ship's surgeon, Dr. Elisha
Whitney.^ On November 21, 1781 the brigantine Saratoga was
reported condemned and sold at Beverly.
1 E. M. Stone, History of Beverly (1S43), p. 83.
- John Tittle (1735-1800).
' Elisha Whitney was born at Watertown March 11, 1747; moved to Beverly
in 1792; died Februarj^ 22, 1807.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 373
The first letter of marque commissioned from Beverly in 1779 was
the brigantine Union, of 120 tons, 6 guns and 20 men. It is possible
that this was the letter of marque Hector formerly the Union, under
her old name. William Langdell was commissioned captain January
4, 1779. The petition of Moses Brown, January 23, 1779, reads:
To the Hon. the Council of the State Capital of Mass. Bay.
May it please Your Honors. Your petitioner with others has a letter
of marque brigantine, called the Union, Capt. William Langdell, owned
in Beverly, loaded with lumber and 34 hogshead of fish, chiefly scale
fish and the remnant very small burnt cod, by no means fit for the
consumption of this country as you will note by a certificate from the
packers and vouched for by the Committee of Correspondence of
Beverly. Your petitioner therefore prays that Your Honors will grant
a permit to have the above mentioned brigantine and cargo cleared for
some port in the Western Islands not at war with the United States.
Petition granted.
Of the many captains who sailed for the firm of Andrew and John
Cabot, Benjamin Lovett of Beverly stood first in length of service
and continuity of employment. In 1779 he commanded the Sebas-
tian, a name indicative of her ownership and was employed in the
Spanish trade. In the autumn of the same year he took command of
the Rambler and Benjamin Ellingwood, late captain of the schooner
Friendship, just returned from an English prison, took his place.
In 1780 Captain Ellingwood took command of the brigantine Active,
and Ichabod Groves^ of Beverly was commissioned master of the
Sebastian. The Sebastian is reported in the papers as lost or taken
in 1780. If so, ]\Ir. Cabot must have bought or built another
Sebastian, as in 1784 the SebaMian, Captain Cleveland, returned to
Beverly from a voyage to St. Petersburg.
On petition of George Cabot, Joseph Lee and others, John Porter
was commissioned master of the brigantine Experiment, of 130 tons,
6 guns and 25 men, March 30, 1779. The Experiment was bound to
the West Indies with a cargo of fish, and Ebenezer Ellingwood and
Benjamin Waters make the following arrangement to spread their
risks :
1 Ichabod Groves, born in 1744, was a son of John and Catherine (Leach)
Groves.
374 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
This indenture witnesses that the Undersigned have exchanged each
a quarter of a share of such prizes and effects as shall be taken by-
certain privateers and private vessels making their present voyages.
Viz, the said brigantine Experiment, John Porter, Commander, for a
quarter of such vessels as shall be taken by the ship Rambler, Benj.
Lovett, Master, and that he covenants with the said Ebenezer Elling-
wood to make all further assurance for such exchange, and the said
Ebenezer covenants to do agreeably thereto.
Witness our hand and seals this 10th day of Oct. 1779.
Ebenezer Ellingwood
Benj. Waters.
The brigantine Fortune, owned by Miles Greenwood of Salem and
John Dyson of Beverly, sailed alternately as a letter of marque and
privateer, and in both characters she was a fortunate vessel. On
her first voyage she was commanded by Francis Bowman of Salem,
later by Jesse Pearson of Salem and Benjamin Ives of Beverly. On
November 7, 1781, Richard Ober of Beverly was commissioned
commander. On the voyage under Captain Ober the Fortune, a
100 ton vessel, armed with 7 guns, carried a crew of only 15 men.
This seems a very small number, but there was at this time a strong
feeling that men shipped on private armed vessels to avoid serving
in the Continental army and that letter of marque vessels should
restrict themselves to commerce. So strong was the feeling that the
attention of the General Court was called to it and a committee
appointed which reported as follows:
The Committee of both Houses to whom was referred the Informa-
tion of the Committee of Correspondence of the towTi of Salem, that
numbers of persons in the County of Essex are fitting out vessels under
Pretence of their going on Merchant voyages but really with Intent to
make captures on the High Sea, for which purpose they are manning
vessels with Many More Men than are necessary to na^ igate the Same,
if bound on a merchant Vo3'age, by which the good design of the
Legislature in laying the present Embargo is subverted.
The committee then went on to report a resolve which allowed
crews to letter of marque vessels only in proportion to the tonnage
of the vessel, eight men for every 100 tons, including master and
mate, and the same proportion for larger vessels. Of course this
was out of reason, for why arm a vessel if she could not carry men
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 375
enough to man the guns? At a later period the distinction between
privateer and letter of marque became one of name merely.
In the summer of 1779, there vv^as a brigantine, of unknown ton-
nage and armament lying in Beverly harbor, commanded by a well
known Beverly captain, Joshua Ellingwood. She was loaded with
the usual cargo of fish and lumber and had been held up by
the embargo on account of the Penobscot expedition as well as the
standing one on provisions. IMark Lafitte of Salem, owner of the
cargo, petitioned the Council that the Mars be allowed to sail and
to the petition was appended this certificate:
Beverly, Aug. 9, 1779.
We certify to whom it may concern that the brigantine, Mars, Com-
manded by Capt. Joshua Ellingwood, now Lying in the Harbor of
Beverly, is loaded with Alewives, Menhaden, and lumber and that
there is no Cod or other dried fish aboard said brigantine, nor other
provision more than is necessary for her voyage.
JosiAH Batchelder, Jr.
Nathan Leach.
This certificate illustrates a branch of trade that went on all through
the war. There was a perpetual embargo on provisions, especially
dried cod. But cod was the one export from ^Massachusetts which
always commanded a ready sale. Consequently vessels loaded with
dried cod, pickled mackerel, herring and menhaden, and then
obtained certificates from the packers, selectmen of the town or
committee of correspondence, that there was no cod in the cargo
or that the cod were burnt or otherwise unfit for food. It was a
fraud, understood by both parties, and to such an extent was it
carried on that at one meeting of tlie Council four petitions from
the merchants of the town of Newburj^ort to export spoiled cod
were favorably acted on.
The other letter of marque vessels sailing from Beverly in 1779
were the sloop Driver, the snow Cato and the schooner II aid', all
vessels of which little is known. The Driver was commanded by
Daniel Adams, later hy Robert Haskell, the Cato by Eleazer Giles,
and the Hawh by William Holland.
On October 6, 1779, occurred the adjourned meeting of the Concord
Convention, held to take into consideration the prices of merchandize
and country produce and make such regulations and restrictions as
376
THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS
[Jan.
the public good might require. There were present from Beverly
George Cabot, William Bartlett, Joseph Wood, and Moses Brown.
The Convention resolved:
That after the 13th day of October the following articles of mer-
chandise and country produce shall not be sold at a higher price than
is hereto fixed to the same.
Prices on the sea coast
Indian corn two pounds, four shillings per bushel
Wheat nine pounds " "
Wheat flour thirty pounds " 100 weight
Beef five shillings " pound
Geese, fowls six n a
Salt pork sLxtj- pounds " barrel
New milk two shilhngs " quart
Salt nine pounds " bushel
Mackerel thirty pounds " barrel
Herring twenty five pounds " "
Then followed a long list of articles of less importance to which a
maximum was fixed and the Convention further resolved:
Whereas the goods and wares imported from Europe are so various
in their kinds as to render it quite impracticable to affix the price by
retail, therefor, the average price by retail of all kinds of European
wares shall not exceed forty tunes what they were in 1773. Any person
who shall directly or indirectly recall or evade this resolve shall be
held an enemy to his country and treated as such, and his name shall
be published in one or more of the public newspapers printed in this
State. That the buying and selling of gold or requiring it for goods
furnished has been one great cause of our present evils.
The Convention also advised each town to appoint a special com-
mittee "To carry these resolutions into effect and denounce all those
who refuse to sell at the prices fixed and should any do so the Com-
mittee are authorized to seize such person's goods, sell them and
return to the owner the fixed price." It is hardly to be supposed
that such men as represented Beverly in the Convention really
believed that any such plan was practicable; they probably agreed
with George Williams that the rise in prices was due to the "Dam
paper money," but public opinion on the subject was high and
something had to be done to satisfy the people. The Resolutions
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 377
of the Convention had no legal force and efforts to enforce them
were soon abandoned.
The first letter of marque commissioned in 1780 was Andrew
Cabot's new brigantine the Defence, named after his vessel lost in
the Penobscot expedition. She measured 150 tons and carried 16
four-pound guns and a crew of 50 men. March 22, 1780, John
Edmonds of Beverly was commissioned captain. Like the Rambler,
Andrew Cabot employed her in the Spanish trade. She sent a
number of prizes into Spain and Beverly, but October 2, 1781, on
a voyage from Bilbao for Beverly, she was captured in Boston bay
by the English ship Chatham.
In the Massachusetts Archives is a list of the officers and crew
of the brigantine Active on her voyage for Gottenburg. Mr. Cabot,
her owner, had for some time looked forward to the Baltic trade
which he afterwards engaged in and it would be interesting to know
what success the vessel had, for no particulars of the voyage seem
to have been preserved. If she reached Gottenburg she was one of
the first American vessels to carry our flag into the Baltic.^ The
Active afterwards sailed as a privateer, at first under Captain Swasey,
later under Captain Patten and while under the latter was taken
by an English vessel and carried into Newfoundland.
The ship Resource of 175 tons, 16 guns and 30 men, was owned by
Thomas Woodberry, Ebenezer Parsons, and Brown & Thorndike.
Her first captain, Israel Thorndike, was commissioned June 12, 1780.
Captain Thorndike made one voyage in the Resource and then turned
her over to his mate, Richard Ober.^ Captain Ober sailed for the
West Indies and on the voyage was taken by an English sloop of
war and carried into Jamaica.
The brigantine Fanny, owned by Livermore Whittredge, William
Bartlett and others of Beverly, was probably the last vessel sailing
from Beverly during the war which carried a distinctively Beverly
crew. The Fanny, on a voyage from Beverly for Hispaniola with
a cargo of fish, was taken May 28, 1781, by the English brig
Providence and carried into New York.
There is in the Nathan Dane Papers a rough draught of a protest
1 See p. 423 note 1, below.
2 Richard Ober (1745-1821), son of Richard and Lydia (Chapman) Ober.
378 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
against the taxes assessed on the town of Beverly for the year 1780.
The paper recites:
Before the war the trade of Beverly was % as large as 1780. Before
the war there were owned in Beverly 35 schooners and other vessels
employed in fishing, manned by 300 men whose earnings were spent
in town and carried considerable part of our taxes. In 1780 it paid
only 34 part of our taxes. Citizens of Beverly had taken away from
the town money by purchasing estates about Boston. Shipping amounts
to 2844 tons manned Vw by men from other to-wTis. In 1772 Beverly
had 550 polls, in 1780 only 479. There are 190 widows in town, of
whom 142 pay no taxes.
Beverly, like the other seaport towns, had been drained of her
young men, some by death, more by the prison ships of New York
and the jails of Halifax and England. Salem was no better off.
September 30, 1780, the ship Viper sailed from Salem with a crew
consisting of two merchants, 4 ship wrights, 1 joiner, 1 farmer, 1
cooper and 18 foreigners. The crew numbered 36, so that only 9
were mariners and half were foreigners. The ship D'Estaing of
150 tons, 10 guns and 25 men, owned by John Dyson and others
of Beverly, commanded by Elias Smith,^ sailed a little later with a
crew made up of foreigners.
The brigantine Freedom of 90 tons, 7 guns and 15 men, commanded
by Benjamin Ober^ of Beverly, had a crew drawn from Beverly,
Georgetown and Eastham with a sprinkling of foreigners.
The last letter of marque commissioned from Beverly in 1780 was
the snow Diana, of 140 tons, 8 guns and 25 men. She was owned
by Larkin Thorndike and others of Beverly, and September 19, 1780,
William Herrick of Beverly was commissioned master. In the early
part of the year the privateer Pilgrivi had sent into Beverly the
prize snow Diana, said to have been used as a gentleman's yacht
and very fast, and it is probable that she was bought and fitted out
as a letter of marque. Captain Herrick was killed in action off
Bermuda in 1780, and the Diana was taken by an English vessel
in 1781.
The first letter of marque commissioned in 1781 was the brig-
antine Sivift of 100 tons, 8 guns and 20 men, owned by William
1 Elias Smith (1744-1817).
2 Benjamin Ober (1751-1780) died abroad.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 379
Homans and others of Beverly. January 3, 1781, Asa Woodberry^
was commissioned master. On June 5, 1781, John Tittle of Beverly
was commissioned commander and she sailed as a privateer. On
October 20th of the same year Captain Tittle was succeeded by
Israel Johnson, and while under his command the Siv if t was captured
by the English.
The year 1780 had been a hard one for the merchants of New
England, privateering had been unprofitable, food and fuel scarce,
and the cost of fitting out vessels almost prohibitive. Few men had
the courage or means to risk new ventures in 1781, but the house
of Cabot was an exception and they began the year by commission-
ing two new vessels on the same day, the Commerce and the Cicero,
The story of the Commerce was a short one, for she proved as unfor-
tunate as the Cicero was fortunate. She was a ship of 200 tons,
carrying 6 nine- and 8 four-pound guns, and a crew of 50 men. On
January 16, 1781, Stephen Webb of Beverly was commissioned
master and on her first voyage, a few days out, she was taken by
an English cruiser.
The Cicero was a new ship of 200 tons, armed with 10 nine- and
6 four-pound guns and carried a crevv^ of 100 men. Her heavy arma-
ment, large crew and the captain chosen to command her, Hugh
Hill, showed that despite her letter of marque commission, she was
really a disguised privateer. She was commissioned January 16, 1781,
and her first voyage was to the West Indies, where she took on a
cargo of sugar and cocoa, and sailed for Cadiz, arriving there April
17, 1781. On the voyage she took several prizes and while waiting
for her return cargo v\-ent on a cruize and was again very successful.
One of her prizes, taken June 23rd, was the ship Mercury, Captain
Dillon, of 16 guns, running as a packet to Cadiz. The Mercury,
besides a valuable cargo including £15,000 in gold, carried a con-
siderable passenger list, and on their arrival at Cadiz the passengers
published a letter speaking in the highest terms of Captain Hill and
'the treatment they received on board the Cicero.
This cruize of the Cicero is referred to in John Trumbull's account
of his travels in Europe. ]\Ir. Trumbull embarked from Amsterdam
for America in the U. S. frigate Carolina, Commodore Gillon, and
soon after sailing they ran into a violent gale. "Happily for us,"
^ Asa Woodberry (1749-1830), son of Thomas and Lucy (Herrick) Woodberry.
380 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF IVLiSSACHUSETTS [Jan.
WTites Mr. Trumbull, " Commodore Barney was among us, (he had
just escaped from Mill prison in England,) " and he practically took
command of the ship.^ After the gale was over the vessel was
found to be short of provisions and headed for Corunna. Here they
found the Cicero of 20 guns belonging to JNIr. Cabot. As the Cicero
was about to sail for Bilbao several of the passengers on the Carolina
obtained permission from Captain Hill to make the voyage with
him and transferred their luggage to the Cicero. Besides John
Trumbull, son of Governor Jonathan Trumbull of Connecticut,
Captain Hill's passengers included Charles Adams, son of John
Adams of IMassachusetts, Major Johnson, and the celebrated Joshua
Barney. The last had been taken from a prison ship in New York
harbor and carried with 78 other American officers to England and
there confined in Mill Prison. He had escaped from Mill Prison
and made his way to Amsterdam, where he took passage on the
Carolina for America.
On the voyage to Bilbao the Cicero, accompanied by the prize
Mercury, had an unfortunate encounter with a Spanish vessel which
she mistook for English in the darkness, and soon after her arrival
at Bilbao she was libelled by the owners of the Spanish ship and
deprived of rudder and sails. Damages were placed at $7000 and
it vras only after Gardoqui & Sons, Mr. Cabot's agents, had given
bonds to that amount that the Cicero was allowed to sail. Captain
Hill and his passengers left Bilbao December 10, 1781, and after an
uneventful passage of six weeks sighted the Blue Hills of Milton.
That night, whites Trumbull, "we found we were close upon the
rocks of Cape Ann," and the next morning "we were safe in the
port of Beverly, where we found eleven other ships, all larger and
finer vessels than the Cicero — all belonging to the same owners,
the brothers Cabot — laid up for the winter. Yet such are the
vicissitudes of war and the elements, that before the close of the
year they were all lost by capture or wreck, and the house of Cabot
had not a single ship afloat upon the ocean." ^ This statement of-
]\Ir. Trumbull demands considerable credulity, for it is extremely
doubtful whether eleven vessels larger than the Cicero entered
Beverly harbor during the war, and while Mr. Cabot in common
1 Autobiography, Reminiscences and Letters (1S41), p. 82.
2 Id. p. 87.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 381
with all owners of armed vessels suffered severe losses in 1782, yet
the Cicero, Revolution, and Buccanier were all profitably cruizing at
the end of the year. Mr. Cabot is said to have offered Joshua Barney
the command of one of his privateers but he declined.
About this tune the hitherto friendly relations between the house
of Gardoqui and the house of Cabot became strained, "We have
never had to do with'such^a set of unruly officers as Capt. Hill has
aboard," writes Joseph Gardoqui November 29, 1781, "all our
reasoning has no effect, they insist on having all their prize money
or Leave the Ship." February 3, 1782, Andrew Cabot writes to
Gardoqui & Sons that he has reason to be dissatisfied with them
and shall send the Cicero and Ravibler to Cadiz and his other pri-
vateers to France. The quarrel must have been made up, however,
as on September 28, 1782, Gardoqui writes Andrew Cabot: "Give
us leave to congratulate you most affectionately on the safe arrival
of your ships Cicero, Buccanier and Revolution at L'Orient. News
communicated by Capt. Hill, forwarding us at the same time two
bills on Paris for 30,000 and 6,720 livres, endorsed by Capt. Zachariah
Gage on account of a vessel he sold at Cape Francois." The vessel
sold was the brig Chance and nothing seems to be known about the
voyage.
To Agent or Agents. For value received please to pay to Mrs, Esther
Langdell the amount of one quarter part of a Single share of all the
Prize Money or Goods that my Son, Andrew Gage may be entitled to
for Services Against the Enemies of the United States of America on
board the Armed ship Sisaroe, Capt. Hugh Hill, Commander.
N.B. by said cruise is Meant from the time Said Ship Sailed from
the port of Beverly until Said Ship returned.
her
Elizabeth * Gage
mark.
Witnesses,
John Harris
Samuel Bowden
This order on the agent of the Cicero is a sequel to a sad story
indicated in several places in the State Archives. In 1775 Andrew
Gage, husband of the writer of the order, was taken prisoner on a
Beverly vessel and up to June 22, 1778, was either doing compulsory
382 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
service on some British armed vessel or was confined in an English
prison. On the date mentioned Mrs. Gage petitioned the Council
for permission to sell a piece of land belonging to her husband in
order to obtain means to live. When, if ever, Andrew Gage returned
to his family we find no record. The Andrew Gage mentioned in
the order was her son.
The Cicero returned to France and then cruized in the English
Channel until the end of the war, arriving back at Beverly jNIay 22,
1783, under Captain Ezra Ober,^ Captain Hill having stopped in
London.
The first letter of marque sailing from Beverly in 1782 was the
ship Spanish Packet of 200 tons, 10 guns and 20 men. She was
owned by James Jeffrey, Francis Cabot and others, and commanded
by Thomas Dalling. Very little is known of her.
The ship Lyon was the largest letter of marque vessel sailing from
Beverly during the war. She was a former English ship, the George,
prize to the Ranger, bought by Mr. Cabot and built over for a mast
ship. In 1781 Andrew Cabot wrote to Gardoqui & Sons at Bilbao
and Butler & Mathews at Cadiz asking the price at which masts
and spars could be sold in Spain and the chance of a market. April
30, 1781, Butler & Mathews advise him that there has been no
cargo of masts brought to Spain since the war. A mast 85 feet long
and 30 inches in diameter is worth 650 INIexican dollars, while oak
brings half a Mexican dollar per cubic foot. It is evident from these
letters that Mr. Cabot had for some time had in mind shipping a
cargo of masts and spars to Spain, and on ]March 6, 1782, William
Tuck 2 of Beverly was commissioned master of the ship Lyon of 400
tons, 26 guns and 80 men. The Lyon with her cargo of masts sailed
from Beverly ]\Iay 6, 1782, and v\^as captured the same day by the
Blonde frigate and her crew transferred to that vessel. The Blonde
was on her way to Halifax and May 10th was wrecked on Seal Island.
Captain Tuck and his men for services rendered on that occasion
were set free and Captain Thornbrough of the Blonde on his arrival
at Halifax published this card in Nova Scotia Gazette:
My warmest thanks are due to Capt. Tuck of the Blonde prize, Lyon,
letter of marque from Beverly, and to all her officers and crew for their
1 Ezra Ober (1747-1794), son of Richard and Lydia (Chapman) Ober.
2 WiUiara Tuck (1740-1784), son of WilUam and EUza (Sewall) Tuck.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 383
generous and indefatigable endeavors to keep the ship from sinking.
Night and day at the pumps until we got all but one man out of her.
Edward Thornbrough,
Commander of his Majesty's late ship Blonde.
The capture of the Lyon by the Blonde and the subsequent wreck
of the latter had a possible indirect effect on a naval action which
occurred shortly after between the privateer Jack, Captain Ropes,
and the English brig Observer, Lieutenant Crymes. In 1781, AI. de
Barras, the French Admiral, detached two frigates, the Astree,
commanded by M. de la Perouse, and the Hermione, commanded
by M. le Comte de la Touche, to cruize along the coast of America
from New York to Halifax. On July 21st, writes Captain Perouse
to his Admiral:
We saw a fleet 5 leagues to windward. I made signal to Hermione to
chase and crowded sail. It was seven o'clock before the first gun was
fired. I ordered M. de la Touche to follow at half musket shot distance
and we advanced along the line of the enemy to leeward in order to cut
them off. As we advanced the small squadron of the enemy fell into
disorder. The Vulture crowded sail to get oIT, after a combat of ten
minutes. Soon after the Jack struck her colors. At 8:15 the Charlcs-
toxon having lost her main top mast followed the example of the Jack.
The other vessels very roughly handled followed her example. The
night came on and had every appearance of being very dark. I set
my boat aboard the Jack and hailed Capt. de Touche to keep the
Charlestoion in sight.
Captain Perouse then goes on to state that the Charlestown escaped
in the darkness and the other English vessels were too near shore
to be secured.
The English account of the engagement is somewhat different.
When sighted b}" the two French frigates, Captain Henry F. Evans,
in command of a small squadron consisting of the Charlestown,
Vulture, Allegiance, Vernon, Jack, and Thompson, was convoying a
fleet of transports to Great Britain. Although his heaviest armed
vessel, the Charlestown, mounted only 28 guns, in order to protect
his convoy he drew up in line of battle and awaited the attack of
the two hea\y French frigates. The battle that ensued was soon
ended by the darkness and the French vessels were glad to retire,
384 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF IVLiSSACHUSETTS [Jan.
their only prize being the Jack. Which account is correct is of no
importance, as both agree that the Jack surrendered.
Captain Perouse returned to Boston with his prize and August 9,
1781, the following advertisement appeared in a Boston paper:
Will be sold by public vendue at the iVmerican Coffee House, the
17th of August the fast sailing ship Jack built on the new construction
plan, mounting 16 six- and nine-pounders. Everything ready for an
immediate cruise. She was captured by H. M. C. M. ships Astrea and
Hermione after being four or five days out and will be sold as she
arrived from sea.
In the same paper is an item stating that the Jack was formerly
owned in Salem and was captured almost a year before while cruiz-
ing with the Charlestown, formerly the Boston, frigate. Another
paper, the Boston Gazette of August 6, 1781, calls the Astrees prize,
the Saucy Jack, formerly owned in Salem. Whether the prize Jack,
was the late Salem privateer Jack of 130 tons, 14 guns and 75 men,
commanded by Captain Nathan Brown, on petition of Jonathan
Norris, or whether she was some other Salem privateer called the
Saucij Jack, she was bought by Salem merchants at the auction
and once more commissioned as the privateer Jack, Captain David
Ropes. The Jack was commissioned September 6, 1781, and in the
month of May of the following year was cruizing near Halifax.
The ship Blonde, as has been stated, was wrecked on Seal Island,
but Captain Thornbrough and his men, as well as Captain Tuck
and his crew, escaped to the shore. The Blonde was wrecked ]\Iay
10, 1782, and on May 12th Captain Daniel Adams of Beverly, while
cruizing off Cape Sable in the privateer Lively, discovered the party
on the Island. Captain Adams immediately sent a boat ashore to
see what was required and followed it with this note: "It being ever
my disposition to relieve the distressed more particularly those in
your situation, I have sent my boat to your assistance and at the
same time place my vessel at your service to carry you to the mam-
land, where you may provide yourself with a vessel to take your
ship's company off the Island. Should be glad if you would come
aboard and see me." The next day the Scammell, Captain Stoddard,
joined the Lively and the two American captains made an arrange-
ment with Thornbrough by which all those wrecked on the Island
/i,.„, 'a^,.H/:..^,i^/y>u,«^,//Z-L,/.>e^.yt,:u,,.. //.if
1922J BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 385
should be transported to Yarmouth, Cape Pursue, on the ScammeU
and the Lively, that Captain Tuck and his men should be free to
go to Beverly and Captain Thornbrough and his crew to Halifax,
and that each party should supply the other with a safe conduct
against cruizers and privateers of their own nation. On his arrival
at Yarmouth Captain Thornbrough hired a shallop and sailed for
Halifax. News of his disaster had already reached that city and
Lieutenant Crimes, Commander of the brig Observer, formerly the
American privateer Amsterdam, Captain James Magee, now in the
royal navy, was ordered to cruize towards Cape Sable, and if possible
pick up Captain Thornbrough and his men. This the Observer did
on the 28th of May and while returning to Halifax was sighted by
the privateer Jack.
It was six o'clock in the afternoon when the Jack sighted the
Observer standing into the land and by nine o'clock the two vessels
were along side. Under ordinary conditions the two vessels were
very closely matched, the Observer carrying 16 six-pound guns and
a crew of 73 men and the Jack 6 nine- and 9 six-pound guns and a
crew of 63 men. The quality of the two crews, however, was very
different. The Jack, like all our privateers in 1782, was largely
manned by foreigners, men apt to be insubordinate and without the
spur of patriotism, while the Observer had a crew trained in gunnery
and schooled in the rigid discipline of a man of war. The original
60 men, which constituted the crew of the Observer when she left
Halifax, had just been reinforced by a portion of the crew of the
Blonde, and the sight of Captain Thornbrough, stripped to his shirt,
serving as a volunteer'at one of the guns added to their enthusiasm.
At the first broadside Captain Ropes fell, mortally wounded, and
Lieutenant Grey, who assumed command, was slightly wounded in
the hand and head.
A close and severe action ensued and for two hours the Jack and
Observer exchanged broadsides and plied each other with musketry
until Lieutenant Grey, having lost heavily in killed and wounded
and seeing his men flinch from the guns, attempted to make sail on
the Jack and escape. "Our rigging was so destroyed," says Lieu-
tenant Grey in his account of the action, " that not having command
of our yards the Jack fell off with her larboard bow foul of the brig's
starboard quarter. We were engaged thus a quarter of an hour In
386 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
which time I received a wound by a bayonet fixed in a musket, and
tvhich was hurled with such force as entering the fore part of my
thigh and passing close to the bone entered the carriage of a bow
gun and it was out of my power to remove it." The two vessels
lay side by side for some fifteen minutes, so close that boarding
pikes were freely used, and then the Jack getting free from her
opponent once more tried to escape. After a short running fight,
the Observer got along side and at half-past one in the morning the
Jack surrendered.
The loss of the Jack in killed and wounded is reported by Lieutenant
Crymes as 25 or nearly half the crew. Lieutenant Grey reports 7
killed and 12 wounded. Among the killed were two Beverly men,
Nathaniel Trask and Thomas Davis. Captain Ropes died as the
two vessels entered the harbor. The loss of the Observer by the
English account was 3 killed and 5 wounded, by the American
account 10 killed and many wounded.
The immediate cause of the loss of the Jack may be ascribed to
the foreign element in the crew abandoning their guns and going
below. " I had but ten men on deck and two of them wounded when
I surrendered," writes Lieutenant Grey. The indirect cause was the
reinforcement of the Observer's crew by Captain Thornbrough and
his men, made possible by the unfortunate kindness and chivalry of
the captains of the Lively and Scammell. July 18, 1782, Captain
William Grey and five of the crew of the Jack arrived at Salem in a
cartel, having been treated with great kindness while at Halifax.
The Jack was tried and condemned in the prize court at Halifax and
identified as the vessel taken the previous year by the Asfree and
Hermione} There is still a sequel to the story. A few months
1 "Lucas Johnson, midshipman on board His Majestj^'s Ship Charlestown,
being sworne declares that in the latter end of July last on their passages from
Halifax to Spanish River in company with the Allegiance, Vulture and Jack
and some transports under their convoy, being off of Spanish River, Seeing two
French frigates, L'Astrea & Hermionnc to Leward, Captain Evans . . . order 'd
the Deponent on board the Jack with orders to Capt. Tonge, . . . that the Jack
was obliged to strike to the French frigates, and Deponent and the whole crew
belonging to the Jack, were made prisoners and carried into Boston, that the
Jack at that time carried ten nine pounders and four sixes, and was manned
with sixty seven men, Richard Peter Tonge Commander, that the Deponent
had seen the ship called the Jack (taken by Captain Crymes) ... & knows
her to be the same ship taken by L'Astrea & Hermionne" (Essex Institute Histor-
ical Collections, xlv. 182-183).
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 387
later, the Lively, Captain Adams, was taken b}^ the English frigate
Pandora and carried into New York. In recognition of his services
to Captain Thornbrough, Captain Adams was treated with great
kindness by Captain Ingalls of the Pandora and sent back to Boston.
The last letter of marque commissioned in 1782 was the ship Fox
of 100 tons, 8 guns and 20 men, owned by Benjamin Lovett and
commanded by Israel Johnson. July 14, 1780, a brigantine Fox of
8 guns and 15 men, owned by Benjamin Lovett and com.manded by
Israel Johnson, is also reported. Whether the brigantine was re-
rigged as a ship or whether there were two vessels named Fox
belonging to the same owner, it is hard to tell.
VII
The treatment of American prisoners by the English during the
War of the Revolution has been stigmatized by most American
historians as cruel and contrary to the law of nations, but a close
examination of the facts shows that the treatment was cruel or lenient
according to the personal character of those in charge of the prisons
and the peculiar conditions of the prisons themselves. The first
disposition of the English was to treat the Americans as rebels and
regard prisoners as subject to all the penalties of treason, but the
magnitude of the revolt and still more the possession by the Americans
of many English prisoners materially changed their views. After
the retreat from Concord General Gage consented to an exchange
of prisoners and General Carleton generously parolled those taken
in the Quebec campaign. On August 13, 1775, General Gage, how-
ever, having heard from England on the subject, wrote to Washing-
ton refusing to allow to Americans the rights of prisoners of war.
On December 18th Washington wrote to General Howe on the sub-
ject of exchange and treatment of American prisoners, particularly
in regard to the case of Ethan Allen who had been sent in irons to
England. The case was referred by General Howe to the home au-
thorities and on February 1, 1776, Lord George Germalne wrote to
Howe that, while not advising a regular cartel, he hoped some plan
would be devised for an exchange of prisoners including those taken
in privateers. On July 22, 1776, Congress voted to allow Washington
to exchange soldier for soldier, sailor for sailor, and oflBcer for officer
of equal rank, and on August 1st General Howe in a letter to Washing-
388 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
ton agrees to this offer of exchange. From this time exchanges,
despite an occasional friction, were conducted as in any foreign
war.
The great bulk of American prisoners were confined at Halifax
(Nova Scotia), New York, and Mill Prison (Plymouth, England). At
Halifax the prisoners seemed to have been fairly treated and loosely
guarded. IMill Prison was a military prison under stern discipline,
with all the discomforts and petty tjTannies which are apt to ac-
company the herding together of large numbers of prisoners of war,
but in the prison ships of New York the treatment of American
prisoners was at times brutal and attended with a disgraceful and
unnecessary mortality.
Several books have been published giving personal experiences
on the prison ships at New York. One of the most interesting is
Captain Thomas Dring's Recollections of the Jersey Prison-Ship.^
The Jersey w^as originally a British ship of the Ime, but had been
dismantled in 1780 and converted into a prison hulk. She w^as at
first anchored in the East River, but later was taken to Long Island
and moored in Wallabout Bay. Captain Drmg apparently gives a
very fair account of life aboard the Jersey. At the time of his capture
he was master's mate aboard the privateer Chance, Captain Daniel
Freeborn of Providence, Rhode Island, which w^as taken by the
English ship Belisarius in 1782. On his arrival at New York he w^as
sent aboard the Jersey. There w^as no distinction made on account
of rank, officers and men occupied the same quarters and received
the same food. Each prisoner received two-thirds of the regular
allowance given the English sailors in the na\y, one pound of beef
or pork, one pound of bread and half a pint of peas, with butter,
oatmeal, and suet occasionally. The rations were sufficient in quan-
tity but apt to be of poor quality. The prisoners were allowed to
drink all the water they wished at the casks on deck but w^ere allowed
to take only one pint below, and their meat was boiled In sea water.
Their sufferings were aggravated by the cruelty of Jacob Strout,
1 Recollections of the Jersey Prison-Ship; Taken and prepared for publication
from the original manuscript of the late Captain Thomas Drmg, of Providence,
R. I., one of the prisoners. Bj- Albert G. Greene, 1829. This was reprinted
by Sidney S. Rider & Bro. in 1865. It was also reprinted, with notes by Henry
B. Dawson, in 1865.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 389
the Commissary of Prisoners, who was universally detested. Small-
pox and Jersey fever were raging most of the time, as was natural
where a thousand men dirty and low spirited were cooped up in a
dark and ill ventilated hold. According to Captain Dring 10,000
prisoners died on the Jersey and the hospital ships Scorpion, Strom-
bol, and Hunter, during the war.
Another account of life on the Jersey can be found in a book called
MartjTs to the Revolution in the British Prison-Ships in the Wall-
about Bay. The stories told in this book, written in 1855 by George
Taylor, are evidently greatly exaggerated. One statement is that
when the American prisoners gathered at the open hatchway of the
Jersey to get fresh air, the sentries would bayonet them from pure
malice and often as many as twenty-five prisoners would be killed
in one night.
An interesting account of Mill Prison is given in Charles Herbert's
Relic of the Revolution.^ Herbert was nineteen years of age when
he sailed on the Dolton, November 15, 1776. The Dolton soon
after leaving port was taken by the English ship Reasonable and her
crew transferred to the English vessel. While a prisoner aboard the
Reasonable Herbert drew the rations of a British sailor, one pound
of salt beef, one pound of bread, one pound of potatoes, and three
pints of beer. On his arrival at PhTnouth he was sent to Mill Prison
where he received as rations one pound of bread, one-quarter pound
of beef, one pound of greens, one quart of beer, and the water the
beef was boiled in. According to Herbert the quantity was sufficient,
though at times the beef was bad. The treatment given the prisoners
was fair except in case of attempt to escape or other breach of discip-
line. ^'Vliile in prison he was visited September 25, 1778, by Captain
Benjamin Ellingwood of Beverly, who had been taken prisoner the
previous year on the schooner Friendship but who had been exchanged
1 A Relic of the Revolution, ... By Charles Herbert, of Newburyport,
Mass. Who was taken prisoner in the Brigantine Dolton, Dec, 1776, and served
in the U. S. Frigate Alliance, 1779-80. 1847. This was compiled by R. Livesey,
though his name is not on the title-page. In a later unpression, dated 1854,
the title was changed to "The Prisoners of 1776; A ReHc of the Revolution. Com-
piled by the Rev. Richard Livesey from the Journal of Charles Herbert, of New-
burjTJort, Mass., who was taken prisoner in the brigantine Dolton, Dec. 1776,
and confined in Old Mill Prison, Pl>Tnouth, England." The text of the two
impressions appears to be identical, though the pagination is different.
390 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
and was now on his way home. He gives a list of those confined
in Mill Prison in 1778 and only one Beverly man is mentioned,
Benjamin Chipman. On his escape or release, Herbert made his
way to France and shipped on board the Alliance, making two cruizes
in the squadron commanded by John Paul Jones. His commander
on the Alliance was Captain Peter Landais, whose dubious conduct
in the battle between the Serapis and the Bon Homme Richard is a
matter of history.^
Another interesting account of prison life is given in John Blatch-
ford's Narrative.- Blatchford, then fifteen years of age, was cabin
boy on the Continental frigate Hancock, Captain Manly, which was
taken by the English frigate Rainbow in 1777 and carried into Halifax.
On his arrival at Halifax Blatchford was sent to the prison, formerly
a sugar house, where he found the building crowded and the food
insufficient and of poor quality. Soon after his arrival he planned
with others to escape, but was betrayed by one of the prisoners
and put in irons. Some weeks later he was allowed to walk around
with his wrists manacled, and meeting the informer he withdrew
one hand from the irons and struck the man to the ground. For
this breach of discipline he was impressed on board the frigate Grey-
hound and a few months later, in company with other Americans,
attempted to desert. They were discovered and a struggle ensued
in which an English sentry was killed. On the Greyhound's return
to port, Blatchford was tried for murder and acquitted, but it was
1 The following extract from the Nathan Dane Papers, dated Beverly, Decem-
ber 2, 1781, shows that one man at least from Beverly served on the Bon Homme
Richard and Alliance:
I, John Carrisco of Beverly, in the County of Essex, State of Mass., Mariner,
constitute and appoint Nathan Dane my Attorney and hereby empower him
to receive my wages and prize money due to me as a mariner on board the Good
Man Richard, J. J. Jones, Commander, and also on board the AlUance, Peter
Landais, Esq., Commander." his
LarkinThorndikel .^^^^^^^ John Carisco
John Thorndike j mark
" Narrative of Remarkable Occurrences, In the Life of John Blatchford,
Of Cape-Ann, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, . . . Taken from his own
mouth. M, DCC, LXXX, VIII. In 1865 Charles I. Bushnell published an
edition, with notes, entitled "The Narrative of John Blatchford, retailing His
sufferings in the Revolutionary War, while a Prisoner with the British. As
related by himself."
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 391
thought best to get rid of him and he was shipped on board the
East Indiaman Princess Royal, where he found thirty-tw^o Americans
all bound to the East Indies as a punisliment for rebellion.^ On
their arrival at Sumatra he and the other Americans disembarked
and found themselves forced to serve in the British army. Again
he attempted with others to escape and again a sentry was killed
and he and his friends retaken. For this he was sentenced to receive
eight hundred lashes on his bare back, "but," he writes, "the whip
was made of cotton with the knots cut off, so it was no worse than
being whipped with cotton yarn." After numerous other adventures
he escaped to France and made his Vvay to L'Orient where he found
three privateers from Beverly in port, the Cicero, Buccanier, and
Rewhdion. "I entered," he continues, "on board the Buccanier,
Capt. Phearson, and sailed on a cruize. We were out 18 days and re-
turned with sLx prizes. Tlu'ee days after we received news of peace,
the privateer was dismantled and Capt. Phearson sailed on a merchant
voyage to Norway. I then entered on a brig bound to Lisbon, Capt.
EUingwood of Beverly, and arrived in eight days. We took on a
cargo of salt and arrived back at Beverly, May 9th 1783."
Another book, too vituperative to be of much authority, is entitled
"The Destructive Operation of Foul Air, Tainted Provisions, Bad
W^ater and Personal Filthiness upon the human Constitutions;
exemplified in the unparalleled Cruelty of the British to the American
Captives at New York during the Revolutionary War, on board
their Prison and Hospital Ships in a communication to Dr. ]\Iit-
chill, dated September 4, 1807."- The tenor of Captain Alexander
Coffin's book may be inferred from one sentence: "If you were to
rake the infernal regions I doubt whether you will find another
set of demons such as the officers and men who had charge of the
Jersey prison ship in the Summer of 1782."^
1 On April 2, 1777, Benjamin Franklin and Silas Deane wrote to the English
ambassador at Paris calhng attention to the fact that American prisoners were
being employed in Enghsh ships to fight against their own people and also sent
to distant ports where they stood httle chance of being exchanged.
2 Edited by Charles I. Bushnell in 1865.
' Some other accounts may be mentioned.
An Account of the Interment of the Remains of 11,500 American Seamen,
Soldiers and Citizens, who fell victims to the cruelties of the British, on board
their prison ships at the Wallabout, During the American Revolution. 1808.
392 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
The above extracts show more or less truthfully what our American
prisoners had to suffer in the jails and prison ships of the enemy,
and some evidence will now be given which partly exonerates the
English from these serious charges. Both Captain Coffin and Cap-
tain Dring were confined on the Jersey in the year 1782. June
3rd of the same year a number of American captains, many of them
well known in Beverly and Salem, before leaving New York on pa-
role, issued this statement :
We whose names are hereunto subscribed, masters of American vessels
which have been captured by English cruisers and brought into this
port, having obtained the enlargement of parole from his Excellency
Rear Admiral Digby to return to our respective homes, being anxious
before our departure to know the real state of the prisoners confined on
This was reprinted with notes by Dr. Henry R. Stiles in 1865 in The Wallabout
Prison Ship Series, No. 2.
Memoirs of Andrew Sherburne (2d ed., 1831), pp. 81-98, 109-119.
The Old Jersey Captive: or a Narrative of the Captivity of Thomas Andres
(now pastor of the church in Berkley,) on board the Old Jersey Prison Ship at
New York, 1781. 1833.
Review. The Tomb of the Martyrs, who died in dungeons and pestilential
prison-ships, in and about the City of New-York, during the seven years of our
Revolutionary War. By Benjamin Romaine, . . . 4th July, 1839.
The Adventures of Christopher Hawkins, . . . With a« Introduction and
Notes by Charles I. Bushnell. 1864. (Written in 1834.)
Letters from the Prisons and Prison-Ships of the Revolution. With Notes
by Henry R. Stiles, M. D. (The Wallabout Prison-Ship Series, No. 1.)
A IMemoir of Eh Bickford, a Patriot of the Revolution. 1865. (Contains
"The Prison-Ship Jersey. By Charles I. Bushnell," pp. 13-15.)
1888. A Christmas Reminder. Being the names of above eight thousand
persons, a small portion of the number confined on board the British prison
ships during the War of the Revolution. With the CompUments of the Society
of Old Brooklynites. 1888.
Horrors of the Prison Ships. Dr. [Charles E.] West's Description of the Wal-
labout Floating Dungeons. How Captive Patriots Fared. 1895.
1776 Prison Ship Martyr Captain Jabez Fitch His Diary in Facsimile (1897
or 1903?)
Historical Society, Eliot, Maine, January, 1900. Old Mill Prison. Henry W.
Fernald, Boston, Mass.
American Prisoners of the Revolution. By Danske Dandridge, . . .
Charlottesville, Va., 1911. This is a book of ix, 504, pages, a bibliography being
printed on pp. 503-504.
See also the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, xix. 74-75,
136-141, 209-213 (List of Americans committed to Old Mill Prison during the
War), xxxii. 42-44, 184-188, 305-308, 395-398 (Journal of Samuel Cutler).
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 393
board the prison ships and hospitals, appointed six of our number to go
on board the prison ships for that purpose, and said Committee have
gone on board five of them and do report, that they have found them
as comfortable as is possible at this season of the year and much more
so than they had any idea of.
That they inspected the beef, pork, flour, bread, vegetables and liquors
which is found aboard his IMajesty's vessels and found them good of their
kind, and the prisoners acknowledge that they had no complaint to
make but the want of clothes and a speedy exchange.
Robert Harris Charles Collins
Philemon Haskell Jonathan Carnes
Christopher Smith John Chase
Daniel Aborn Richard Mugford
Robert Clifton John M'Ewer
Dr. Joseph Bo wen
The signers further state that the American prisoners in the hospital
ships have good beds and not cots, with clean sheets of Russia linen
and plenty of fresh provisions and wine.
While this is the evidence of men who had inspected and not lived
on the Jersey, still the signers were men of too much intelligence
and character to be entirely deceived or wilfully mistaken. Two of
their number, Daniel Aborn and Dr. Joseph Bowen, at Admiral
Digby's request took a letter from Commissary General Strout
to Washington explaining that owing to the heat and overcrowding
of the prison ships, due to a large influx of prisoners, all his efforts
to keep the prisoners healthy were baflBed, though five more ships
had been taken for the purpose, and many set free on parole. On
this account he asked an immediate and general exchange. At this
time the Americans owed the English 1300 naval prisoners, whom
they had set free on parole and the English owed the Americans 450
soldiers. Admiral Digby suggested an exchange of sailors for soldiers,
but Washington refused on the ground that he was empowered
only to exchange soldier for soldier and directed David Skinner,
Commissary General on the American side, to write Admiral Digby
to that effect. Thus on a technicality a number of American naval
prisoners remained shut up in New York prison ships though the Brit-
ish were anxious to exchange.
It is probable that the balance of naval prisoners was against the
394 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
Americans during the whole war. An American privateer was under
bonds to bring back its prisoners to this country/ but the danger of
capture was always greatest on the coast line, the chance of being
detained in the home port by embargo was great, and it was much
safer and more economical to put the prisoners on some worthless
prize and let them go free than to bring them back to America. I\Iany
prisoners were taken into France by American privateers cruizing
on the Irish coast or in the English channel, but these prisoners
were then counted to the French. Most of the prizes taken by the
English, on the other hand, were by frigates or other large vessels
of war where the question of economy or safety did not enter and their
prisoners were carried into port. November 15, 1777, Congress had
ordered a bounty of $20 to be paid to officers and men for every
cannon captured on any vessel and $8 for every prisoner. Had
the bounty offered by the government to privateers and letter of
marque vessels for prisoners delivered in America been sufficient
to make this an object, many of our sailors suffering in English
prisons might have been released. There seems no reason to accuse
the English of unwillingness to exchange prisoners after August,
1776. Occasionally there were disputes and accusations of ill treat-
ment or bad faith on either side, but as a rule relations were pleasant.
As to the treatment of American prisoners by the English there
is no doubt that there were cases of cruelty and overcrowding, and
the conditions on the New York prison ships were at times disgrace-
ful, but any one who has had charge of hospitals or other large institu-
tions knows how readily false stories are started and petty wrongs
magnified. Prisoners certainly cannot be blamed for trying to escape,
nor can jailors be blamed for punisliing such attempts, and most
of the stories of cruelty followed some breach of discipline.
As to the food furnished it seems to have been of about the same
quality, though less in quantity, as that furnished to English sailors
on English ships, where weevily biscuit and tainted meat were a
matter of frequent occurrence. The impressment of American
1 It is doubtful whether these bonds were often enforced, and, even if col-
lected, thej' were too small for the purpose. The bond of the schooner Hammond,
for example, was for £ 300 signed by Jacob Oliver as principal and Robert Shilla-
ber as surety, that all prisoners taken at sea ■would be brought back into port
for exchanee. (Revolutionary Rolls, viii. 4.)
1922] BEVEELY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 395
seamen on English men of war was a just cause of complaint and
many Americans were undoubtedly compelled to fight against their
own country and her allies, but for every American thus impressed
probably ten English sailors were persuaded to serve on American
privateers. True, impressment and voluntary service are different,
but there was no way by which an English officer could tell what
means were used to enlist English men on American vessels. Not
only were our privateers largely manned by prisoners and deserters,
but our Continental and State vessels sought recruits from the same
source. In 1778 the Navy Board of Massachusetts in a letter to the
Council wrote: "Beg leave to represent that seamen are much needed
for manning the Continental vessels. We are informed there are
among the prisoners now here, a number of Swedes, Dutch and
some English prisoners who would readily enter the service. That
we conceive it would help the public service to permit all the for-
eigners and a few of the English to enter on board the Continental
ships." It must be remembered too that many American prisoners,
weary of prison life, voluntarily enlisted on British ships and their
home explanation of their service on a hostile vessel would naturally
be impressment.
The treatment of English prisoners by the Americans w^as better
than that of American prisoners by the English because with us
there was no such necessity as existed in New York for the concentra-
tion of large numbers of prisoners in one prison or ship. Many
of the English officers were parolled or allowed to go to New York
to arrange their own exchanges. Some were boarded out in country
villages and allowed the freedom of the town. Occasionally, on
complaints of sufferers in English prisons, retaliation was practised
and officers and men were ironed and treated with considerable
severity. On January 2, 17S1, the Massachusetts Council passed
the following order: .-!
Wliereas there are a number of American prisoners in the Prison Ships
at New York treated with more than Savage Barbarity and that in
consequence of Such Treatment Numbers of said Prisoners have died
and are Dying. . . . Therefore, ordered that the Hon. Navy Board be
and hereby are requested immediately to order the Commissary of
Prisoners to remove the prisoners from Noodle's Island on board the
prison ship in the harbour of Boston, and all marine prisoners that are
396 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
at large in the town of Boston, and confine them in the hold of Said
Ship and treat them in a similar manner as the American prisoners are
treated in the Prison Ships of N. York until a different conduct is
observed by the Enemy. ^
Many of the English prisoners were bound cut for service. This
was particularly so in the case of the Hessians captured at Benning-
ton, some being employed in the salt works at Sandwich and others
bound out to private parties as servants, blacksmiths, cordwainers,
and farm hands. Complaints of cruelty and ill usage were common.
The New York Mercury of May 22, 1782, has this item: "A number
of prisoners, mostly seamen, arrived from Philadelphia yesterday.
All complain loudly of their treatment in captivity. A great part
of the time they were fed on dried clams. Fifteen clams and ten
ounces of bread being a day's allowance."
Cartels were continually passing betvreen English and American
ports and as these vessels were necessarily unarmed and weakly
manned, occasionally the prisoners on board would make the voyage
an unpleasant one for their nominal jailors. Under date of January
23, 1782, several Beverly gentlemen make the following deposition:
We, Edward Allen, Isaac Haskell, Benj. Woodberry and Thomas Ginn,
all of lawful age, testify that we were officers on board the sloop, Tryall,
a flag of truce lately arrived St. Lucie, said Allen being Commander.
We sailed from Boston October 21, with 31 English prisoners aboard.
About the third day they became very insolent and took all our small
stores out of the cabin and were very abusive. "\Mien a barrel of beef
was opened they would take the best part of it and they wasted the
bread and threw part of it into the sea.
The trade carried on between Nova Scotia and IMassachusetts
under the pretext of the removal of families has already been referred
to, but the return of escaped and parolled prisoners, greatly facil-
itated by this trade, was a matter of more importance. American
prisoners at Halifax were loosely guarded and often escaped or were
parolled. In either case they often made their way to Yarmouth
or Barrington and were there treated with kindness and furnished
transportation to their homes. A small vessel conveyed them to
some Massachusetts port and the cargo of dried fish or salt, which
* Massachusetts Archives, clxxvii. .301.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 397
always accompanied these expeditions, was sold after petition to
the Council. These petitions were always accompanied by letters
of recommendation from escaped prisoners they had aided. One
of the letters used by Benjamin Brown of Yarmouth, a frequent
visitor to Beverly, was as follows :
That about the fifth of November last I had the misfortune to fall
into the hands of the enemy and having my liberty to walk about at
Halifax, Mr. Benj. Brown carried me with Mr. Dugan and Ephriam
Lacky to Yarmouth and there entertained us at his own expense about
one week and then procurred us a passage to the States. I have been
credibly informed that said Brown has treated all the prisoners he could
find in the same hospitable way. I saw a certificate of this kind in said
Brown's possession, signed by Capt. Stevens, his officers and men. I
am confident Brown is a friend to the liberties of America and entitled
to any favor the Hon. Court sees fit to bestow on him.
Signed at Beverly, John Ashton, late Commander of schooner
Hampden.
Another certificate, signed by well known Beverly men, was used
by Thomas Flint, also a frequent visitor to Beverly:
Capersaw, Oct. 24th 1778, the Subscribers have been taken prisoners
and carried to Halifax and was Issisted away to this place by Thomas
Flint and Supported while in this place and we Suscribers would be
glad if the Gentlemen of the Court take the Same in Consideration and
Grant same Thomas Flint Such Favor as will help him.
Joseph Stewert, Eleazer Giles,
John Herrick, Benj. Very,
James Herrick, Nathaniel Batchelder.
The year 1781 had been very disastrous to the owners of private
armed vessels and in the latter part of the year George Williams
of Salem and sixty-one other merchants petitioned the General
Court, stating that it was the opinion of the seaport towns of Massa-
chusetts that the trading Nova Scotians coming to this country
caused information of the force, number and destination of their
armed vessels and proposed voyages of merchant vessels to be con-
veyed to the enemy and tlirough such information they have lost
the greater part of their most valuable privateers. " Your petitioners
therefor ask, if you think it expedient, to put a stop to aD such per-
398 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF IMASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
missions and direct the Naval Officer and Selectmen to make search
in each town of the State and apprehend as prisoners of war all
Nova Scotians that may be among us, that they may be exchanged
for our townsmen and others suffering on board of Brittish Guard
Ships." The General Court assented and for a tune and to some
extent carried out the spirit of the petition.
There is no doubt that the Nova Scotians did carry information
to the enemy, nor can we blame them. They also gave information
to the Americans and helped their seamen to escape, and in the
unfortunate position in which they were placed they were obliged
to help both parties. That the profit was greater than the injury
was the opinion of many, and a petition headed by William Tuck
of Beverly, late commander of Mr. Cabot's ship Lyon, and signed
by Francis Cabot, and 161 others, asking that trade with Yarmouth
and Barrington be renewed, was sent to the General Court. This
petition of William Tuck —
Humbly Showeth that the ship Lyon lately fell into the hands of the
enemy.. The Blonde frigate which captured her was wrecked upon the
Seal Islands from which Company, Consisting of about Sixty Men in
all, made their escape to Yarmouth, Cape Forsen, in Nova Scotia, where
the Inhabitants Received and entertained us very kindly for four days
during Which they fitted out three Small Vessels with provisions neces-
sary for the purpose and Brout Said Tuck & Co. and a number of other
prisoners, to the Amount of about 100 in all, Safe to this Commonwealth.
This friendly act was a Great favor to us and particularly so when we
consider the Extreme Sufferings of a Great Number of our Brothers on
Board the English Prison Ships.
The petition then goes on to state the condition of the people of
Yarmouth, unable to sell their fish in the States or obtain things
necessary for their comfort, and calls attention to the fact that they
will be unable in the future to help American prisoners unless they
can dispose of their fish in Massachusetts.
This petition was accompanied by one from Thomas Flint, Ben-
jamin Brown, and James Kelly who —
Humbly show that in the beginning of May last, the British frigate
Blonde was wrecked on Seal Island. At which time Said Ship had a
large number of American prisoners on board who Got permission to
return home but destitute of every kind of support. Your petitioners,
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 399
Inhabitants of Cape persue, being Owners of three Small Shallops,
fitted them out and brought Said Americans to the States to the number
of 65 and supported them all for twehe days at their Own expense.
And as Your Petitioners have not been able to obtain even a Replace-
ment of the provisions expended in the service of returning 65 seamen
to this State, they Humbly pray the Hon. Court to take Premises into
their wise Consideration and direct that such Allowances be made as
to Right and Justice shall appertain.
The Council granted them twelve days ration for 65 men and
permission to return to Nova Scotia. It is to be hoped that the
merchants of Beverly made them some acknowledgement for their
services as the allowance by the State seems rather small. From
this time trade was resumed, but not with the good will of former
years, and in 1782 David Corning, so often mentioned, while bring-
ing fourteen American prisoners to the States was taken by the
privateer Fly of Salem and sent in as a prize. The General Court,
however, ordered her release and gave Corning permission to return
to Nova Scotia.
The number of Beverly seamen made prisoners during .the war
must have been large, but the record is very deficient. A few in-
complete reports of English prisons, local tradition, and scattered
mentions in the newspapers of the day and the Massachusetts Ar-
chives, are all we have to rely on. The following incomplete and
unsatisfactory list includes only marine prisoners claiming residence
in Beverly. Probably the first Beverly man made prisoner in the
war was Andrew Gage. He was taken on some unknown Beverly
vessel in 1775 and confined in or impressed on some unknown English
ship. On June 22, 1778, the Selectmen of Beverly and Elizabeth
Gage petitioned for permission to sell land belonging to Andrew
Gage as he was still detained.
In the Nathan Dane Papers is a deposition so curious that we
transcribe it, although the deponent was not a marine prisoner
though a mariner.
I, James Gray of Beverly in the County of Essex, in the State of
Mass. Do Say and Declare that I Inhsted in the Continental Service in
1775, a Years Service under Capt. Nathan Brown of this County, Israel
Hutchinson Esq. Colonel — Jepson Clough, Ensign. I was marched
from Winter Hill to New London and thence to Fort Washington wheir
400 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
we was made Captives and Carried to N.York and there Suffered
Severity more than flesh could Bare. 1st Day after we was marched
to N.York, I, amongst a Great Number, was taken Sick and a Very
Mortifying sickness it Proved to many. I was carried to the Quaker
Meetmg house, the Improvised Hospittle, where the most died that was
taken wdth that Distemper. I was unable to be exchanged on account
of my Bemg in two Shocking Condition. But I am left to remember
the Seen Undei-went as well as my Brother Soldiers. I was four years
in a PitteyfuU Condition. At last I got away and Feb. 7, 1780 aRived
at Salem. From Whence, The 16th day of the month following, I went
to Uncle William Gray, who I was his apprentice. The Appearance of
me, to him and they and the town was as One Rose from the Dead.
Tarred with him about a fortnite, then went to see with Capt. Samuel
Foster, Returned in three months and Set up my trade in Beverly as
painter and glazer.
One of the first privateers commissioned by the State was the
Yankee Hero, Captain Tracy, of Newburj'port. She was taken
by an English frigate May 30, 1776, and one at least of her crew,
James Mecomb, was from Beverly. The crew of the Yankee Hero
returned on a cartel November 8, 1776.^
In 1776 the ship Thomas, belonging to Thomas Stephens of Beverly,
on a voyage from Beverly for Baltimore, laden with a cargo of rum
and sugar, was taken by a British cruizer and her captain, Robert
Standly, made prisoner.^
The same year, 1776, precise date unknown, Osmond Thorndike
was taken on the Peggy by the letter of marque ship Dunmore, He
was exchanged in December, 1776.^
Captain Benjamin Leach of Manchester, at one time a resident
of Beverly, was taken on a prize of the privateer Hawk in 1777 and
soon after exchanged.^
Richard Dyson and Jonathan Parsons, mariners on some privateer,
were sent home from New York on the cartel brig Rising Empire
in 1777, no exact date given. ^
Daniels Adams, 1st lieutenant on the brigantine Freedom, Captain
^ Massachusetts Archives, cxxvi. 226.
2 Force, 5 American Archives, iii. 602.
^ Revolutionary Rolls, ix. 74.
* Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Families of Boston.
5 Revolutionary Rolls, ix. 68.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 401
Clouston, was taken by the frigate Apollo and confined on the prison
ship Good Content in New York harbor in 1777. He remained there
one year before he was exchanged. In 1782 when in command of
the schooner Lively he was taken by the frigate Pandora, Captain
Ingles, and sent into New York. He was detained only a short
time.^
Benjamin ElHngwood, captain of the schooner Fnendskip, was
taken by the letter of marque Tom, December 26, 1777, and carried
into England, but was released on exchange the next year.^
John Ashton was prize master on the privateer brigantine Washing-
ton and while in command of one of her prizes, the snow Friendship,
was taken by a British cruizer and carried into Halifax. He was
exchanged June 28, 1777. In 1778 while in command of the schooner
Hampden of Salem he was again taken prisoner and taken into Hali-
fax, parolled, and retiu-ned to Beverly by the kind offices of Benjamin
Brown of Yarmouth. He is reported as taken again while in com-
mand of the brigantine Neptune in 1779.^
The privateer Retaliation of Beverly was taken in the autumn
of 1777 and on April 16, 1778, the cartel Industry was directed to
bring back from Halifax Captain Eleazer Giles, Lieutenant Benjamin
Joy, Dr. Elisha Whitney, Thomas Darly, and William Moses. Elisha
Whitney was surgeon on the Retaliation, and though at this time
was not a resident of Beverly became so later.^
September 30, 1778, a cartel from HaUfax brought Andrew Pea-
body, Joseph Foster, Thomas Giles, Elisha Ellinwood, and Andrew
Peabody. The last name appears twice. An Andrew Peabody of
Beverly was taken on the ship Essex in 1781, presumably one of the
two mentioned.'^
A testimonial dated October 24, 1778, signed by Joseph Stewert,
John Herrick, James Herrick, Nathaniel Batchelder, Eleazer Giles,
and Benjamin Very, shows that they were prisoners in Halifax
in the early autumn of 1778. They were all probably part of the
crew of the Retaliation.^
1 Massachusetts Archives, cliii. 67.
2 New York Gazette and Mercury, February 2, 1778.
3 Massachusetts Archives, cxxv. 149.
* Revolutionary Rolls, ix. 49.
B New England Historical and Genealogical Register, xix. 74.
« Massachusetts Archives, clxxxiv. 34.
402 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF IVIASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
One of the testimonials used by Mr. Brown of Yarmouth was
signed by Benjamin Ives, Thomas Stephens, and WilUam Groves
all Beverly men, prisoners in Halifax in 1777-1778. Thomas Stephens
was 1st lieutenant of the privateer Retaliation and later commander
of the schooner Hammond. Benjamin Ives was captain of the
privateer schooner Scorpion and the letter of marque brigantine
Fortune. William Groves was probably taken prisoner while in
command of the privateer schooner Blackbird. Later he commanded
the brigantine Success, the sloop Fish Hawk, and the brig Eagle. ^
The privateer Warren of Beverly was taken by the English ship
Fanny, January 6, 1778, and Benjamin Chipman, the only Beverly
man recorded among the prisoners, was committed to Mill Prison
June 4, 1778. He afterwards escaped.
The brigantine Rambler was captured by the English frigate
Sibyl, October 21, 1779, and one of her crew, Michael Downs, a
Beverly man, was committed to Mill Prison, February 16, 1780.
The brig Eagle was taken June 21, 1780, and William Haskell,
Alexander Carrico, and George Groce, of the crew, were committed
to Mill Prison. William Haskell was committed July 5, 1781, Alex-
ander Carrico and George Groce February 6, 1782. The commander
of the Eagle, William Groves, with Curtis Woodberry, William
Morgan, Henry Tuck, Joseph^ Woodberry and probably other Beverly
men, must also have been taken on the same vessel.
From the ship Essex, taken June 10, 1781, Joseph Perkins, Levi
Woodberry, Robert Raymond, Matthew Chambers, and Andrew
Peabody were all committed to Mill Prison July 21, 1781. James
Lovett and Benjamin Sprague of the same vessel, August 5, 1781.
John Tuck, Thomas Hadden, Josiah Foster, Hezkiah Thissel,
Nathaniel Woodberry, and Zebulon Ober, of the snow Diana taken
June 15, 1781, were committed to Mill Prison January 23, 1782.
William Haskell of Beverly is reported as having been taken on
the brig English and carried to Quebec. He was committed to Mill
Prison July 23, 1781.
The ship Resource, Captain Richard Ober, was taken by a British
cruizer in the autumn of 1780. There is a list of the officers and
crew dated September 11, 1780, and it is probable that all those
1 Massachusetts Archives, cxxv. 419.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 403
mentioned were on the vessel at the time of her capture and made
prisoners: Richard Ober captain, Andrew Thorndike 1st mate,
Samuel Cressy ^ 2nd mate, John Waters, Andrew Ober, John Woodby,
Jacob Woodby, Andrew Woodby, Thomas Woodby, Ebenezer
Woodby, John Lovett, Nathan Thorn, Jacob Thompson, John
Savage, Thomas Harris, Thomas Ober, David Allen, Richard Ober,
Richard Thorn, Nicholas Thorndike, John Rea, Joseph Ray, and
Andrew Woodman, all of Beverly. The Resource was bound for
the West Indies and her crew was carried into Jamaica.
Ebenezer Ray was impressed on board the frigate Pelican, com-
manded by Captain Collingwood, afterwards second in command
at the battle of Trafalgar. In August, 1781, the Pelican was wrecked
and her crew escaped to a small uninhabited island where they
remained ten days until rescued by the Diamond frigate and carried
back to Jamaica. Ray was confined on another man-of-war from
which he managed to escape and for twenty-five days wandered,
half starved, about the island. Finally he got aboard a Spanish
cartel about to sail for Havana, and on her arrival at that port took
passage on a brig to Boston. On the voyage the vessel was taken
by an English cruizer and Ray was carried into New York and con-
fined on the Neio Jersey. In May, 1782, he was exchanged and re-
turned to Beverly.
Stephen Roundy was taken on the ship Hawh, Captain Smith,
in 1780. He was taken to New York and impressed on board the
Conqueror, where he continued to serve until peace was declared.
The story is told of hun that after some battle in which the Americans
were worsted, a British officer sneeringly asked him, "What do you
think of King Washington now?" "I think he is a gentleman"
was the answer.
The brig Black Princess was a Dunkirk privateer, commissioned
by Franklin and the other commissioners of Paris. Some papers
in the Essex Institute indicate that she was originally a Salem vessel,
but in 1781 she sailed from Dunkirk with a crew consisting largely
of English deserters. She was very successful and before her capture,
October 11, 1781, had taken 36 prizes. There were several Salem
and Marblehead men aboard, and one man, John Baker, from Bev-
erly, who on October 20, 1781, was committed to Mill Prison.
1 Samuel Cressy (1751-1782), son of Benjamin and Mehitable (Brown) Cressy.
404 THE COLONLIL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
The brigantine Gen. Wayne, Captain John Leach of Beverly,
on a voyage to the West Indies, was taken by a British cruizer in
1780 and carried to Bermuda. Captain Leach either escaped or was
parolled, as he arrived back at Boston September 5, 1780.^
The Gen. Gates was taken by the British cruizer Hope, no date
given. Benjamin Bickford and Nathaniel Wallace are reported
captured. John Bickford, steward of the Gen. Gates, was also taken.
The latter was returned to INIarblehead on the cartel Pacific.
Jonathan Larcom is said to have been captured on the brigantine
Neptune, Captain John Ashton, in 1779.
The brigantine Defence of Beverlj^ was taken October 2, 1781,
by the English ship Chatham, and the following Beverly men were
taken prisoners: John Edmands captain, Captain Jonathan Carwick
1st mate, John Pickett carpenter, John Wilkins gunner, Stephen
Costello, John Bray, James Babson, John Gage, Daniel Batchellor,
William Allen.
There were a number of vessels commanded by Beverly captains
taken by British cruizers during the war, where no particulars were
given as to officers and crew, though doubtless manned to some
extent by Beverly men. The list is as follows:
Brig S-pit Fire
Capt. John Patten
Taken
in
1780
Brigantine Active
<< (( a
17S1
Brigantine Fanny
Capt. Herbert Woodberry
1781
Ship Commerce
Capt. Stephen Webb
1781
Sloop Fish Hawk
Capt. Samuel Foster
1781
Ship Sebastian
Capt. Ichabod Groves
1780
Ship Mohock
Capt. John Carnes
1782
Ship Lyon
Capt. Yvllliam Tuck
1782
Brigantine Swift
Capt. Israel Johnson
1782
Unknown brig
Capt. Andrew Thorndike
1782
Benjamin and Isaac Chapman, Thomas Giles, Benjamin Giles,
Thomas Davis, and Nathaniel Trask were taken prisoners with
Capt. Thorndike.
The number of Beverly mariners taken prisoners during the war,
as chronicled above, was 108. Some of them were taken prisoner
two or three times, and the number of those actually taken prisoners
is no doubt much greater than the number of those known to have
been taken prisoners. The writer believes from careful computa-
1 Massachusetts Archives, clxxvii. 63.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 405
tion that two-thirds of the male population of Beverly between
the ages of eighteen and sixty were at one time or another prisoners
to the English.
VIII
In the foregoing sections the private armed vessels of Beverly have
been treated collectively and some passed over lightly. At the risk
of repetition, they have in this section been arranged alphabetically
with some particulars added not considered necessary when telling
their story.
Active
Brigantine Active, 120 tons, 10 guns and 25 men. Letter of marque. On
petition of Job Prince and others of Boston, Benjamin Ellingwood commissioned
master May 5, 1780. Bond signed bj^ Job Prince and William Creed as owners.
(Massachusetts Archives, clxxi. 148.)
Brigantine Active, same tonnage and force. Officers and men on board the
brig Active as taken by the captain the day of his sailing from Beverlj- for Gotten-
burg July 10, 1780, Samuel Cabot, agent:
Benjamin Ellingwood captain Born in Beverly and remains there
John Hammond 1st mate
Thomas Butman 2nd mate
Daniel Trask steward
William Gard gunner
Israel Trask cook
James Murray boatswain
Joseph Weeks
John Bously
in Marblehead and remains in Beverly
in Beverly and remains in Beverly
in Beverly and remains in Beverly
in Liverpool and remains in Beverly
in Beverly and remains in Beverly
in Glasgow and remains in Beverly
in Beverly and remains in Beverly
in Bristol and remains in Salem
Others from Milton, Mistick, and Boothbay. (Revolutionary Rolls, xviii.)
Brigantine Active, 150 tons, 12 guns and 60 men. Privateer. On petition of
Job Prince in behalf of Andrew and Samuel Cabot, Nathanial Swasey com-
missioned commander December 16, 1780. (Massachusetts Archives, clxxi. 314.)
Brigantine Active 100 tons, 14 four-pounders and 60 men. Privateer. On
petition of Andrew Cabot and others of Beverly, John Patten commissioned
commander April 9, 1781. (Massachusetts Archives, clxxi. 364.)
Brigantine Active taken and carried into Halifax. September 22, 1781,
Captain John Patten and crew of the Active arrived at Boston in a cartel.
(New York Mercury, September 28, 1781.)
Adventure
Schooner Adventure, 48 tons, 6 carriage and 8 swivel guns and 35 men. On
petition of Larkin Thorndike and others, Robert Newman commissioned com-
mander September 8, 1777. Privateer. (Massachusetts Archives, clxx. 379.)
Schooner Adventure, same tonnage and force, on petition of John Dyson,
William James of Beverly commissioned commander, May 11, 1780. John
Dyson and Benjamin Goldthwaithe sureties. (Revolutionary Rolls, v. 5; Mas-
sachusetts Archives, clxx. 279.)
406 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
Black Prince
Ship Black Prince, 220 tons, 18 guns, 120 men. Privateer. On petition of
William Pickman, William Orne, Larkin Thorndike and others of Salem and
Beverly, Elias Smith commissioned commander, June 17, 1778. (Massachusetts
Archives, clxviii. 351.)
Ship Black Prince, same tonnage, force and owners. Privateer. On petition of
George Williams and others of Salem, Nathaniel West commissioned commander,
Samuel Carleton 1st lieutenant, Benjamin Crowngshield 2nd Lieutenant, October
17, 1778. The Black Prince was burned by the crew at the time of the Penobscot
expedition. (Massachusetts Archives, clxix. 236.)
BUCCANIER
Ship Buccanier, 350 tons, 18 nine-pounders, 150 men. Privateer. On petition
of J. & A. Cabot, Hoystead Hacker commissioned commander, Abraham Hawkins
Ist Lieutenant, August 3, 1781.
On petition of Job Prince for same owners, March 27, 1782, Jesse Fearson was
commissioned commander. (Massachusetts Archives, clxxii. 126.)
Cato
Snow Cato, 10 four-pound guns and 30 men. Letter of marque. Petition of
Job Prince in behalf of A. & J. Cabot, Eleazer Giles of Beverly commissioned
commander, September 18, 1779. (Massachusetts Archives, clxx. 403.)
Centipede ^
Schooner Cent. Peid, 45 tons, 16 swivel guns, 35 men. Privateer. Petition of
Elias H. Derby, Joseph White, and Miles Greenwood of Salem, William Langdon
or Langdell commissioned commander. (Massachusetts Archives, clxviii. 103.)
On bond given December 5, 1777, with William Langdon as principal and E. H.
Derby as security, she is called Santape. In libel against schooner Betty, May
14, 1778, she is called Ccnti Pea.
Schooner Cent Pede, 40 tons, 16 swivel guns and 40 men. Privateer. May
23, 1778, petition of E. H. Derby, Samuel Ingersoll commissioned commander.
In libel of Captain Ingersoll against schooner Bickford she is called Saint te Pea.
On bond by Captain Ingersoll, she is called Cent Pea.
Schooner Cent a Pede, Privateer. Petition of Miles Greenwood and others,
Joseph Pratt commissioned commander, with John Gavet as 1st lieutenant and
John Peters sailing master, September 29, 1778. Some time in 1778 Livermore
Whittredge was agent and Josiah Batchelder, Jr., of Beverly, owner of the
Santipe. Eben Rogers, William Wyatt, John Galls, and Willis Standly, all of
Beverly, were members of the crew.
Schooner Sentipe, 4 carriage and 10 swivel guns, 50 men. Privateer. Petition
of Nathaniel Silsbee, Gideon Henfield commissioned commander, August 3, 1779.
Chance
Brig Chance, 85 tons. Captain Zachariah Gage, belonging to A. & J. Cabot.
Letter of marque. Sold at Cape Frangois in 1782.
For the various forms of this name, see p. 347 note 1, above.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 407
Cicero
Ship Cicero, 300 tons, 10 nine- and 6 four-pound guns, 60 men. Letter of
marque. Petition of A. Cabot and ottiers of Beverly, January 16, 1781, Hugh
Hiil commissioned master. (Massachusetts Archives, clxxi. 332.)
Commerce
Ship Commerce, 200 tons, 6 nine- and 8 four-pound guns, 50 men. Letter of
marque. Petition of Andi'ew Cabot, January 16, 1781, Stephen Webb com-
missioned master. (Massachusetts Archives, clxxi. 332.)
Content
Ship Content. Owned by Nathan Leach of Beverly. February 21, 1777,
Nathan Leach sells ship Content to the State for £1900.
CoRNVi^ALL
Ship Cornwall, 200 tons, 10 four-pound guns, 25 men. Letter of marque.
On petition of Mark Lafitte, John Edmonds commissioned master, January 15,
1778, John Bickford 1st Ueutenant.
Count D'Estaing
Ship Count D'Estaing, 150 tons, 10 four-pounders, 25 men. Letter of marque.
On petition of John Dyson and others of Beverly, Ehas Smith commissioned
commander, August 22, 1780, with Daniel Payne 1st mate, Theodore Williams
2nd mate, Hugh Hathorne boatswain, James Ferrinson steward, Zachariah Stone
gunner. Of the crew only seven were born in New England and seventeen were
foreigners. The only Beverly men in the crew were Henry Oliver, Jacob Oliver,
and Thomas Smith.
Defence
Brigantine Defence, 170 tons, 16 six-pound cannon, 100 men. Privateer. On
petition of Andrew Cabot and Moses Brown, July 6, 1779, John Edmonds com-
missioned commander with Nathaniel Swazey 1st Ueutenant, John Boardman
2nd Ueutenant. June 30, 1779, the Defence was at anchor in Beverly harbor.
She was a new vessel just fitted out for a cruize against the Quebec fleet. She
joined the Penobscot expedition and was burned to escape capture. (Massa-
chusetts Archives, clxx. 209.)
Brigantine Defence, 150 tons, 16 four-pound guns, 50 men. Letter of marque.
Petition of J. & A. Cabot, John Edmands commissioned master. March 22, 1780.
List of officers and crew July 21, 1781: John Edmands captain, Jonathan Carwick
1st mate, John Dutch 2nd mate, John Picket carpenter, John Wilkins gunner,
William Brown boatswain, Stephen Costello, John Bray, James Babson, John
Gage, Daniel Batchelor and William Allen, all mariners from Beverly. William
Lakeman, from Ipswich, was prize master and there were 14 mariners from
Ipswich, balance of the crew from Gloucester. October 2, 17S1, on a voyage
from Bilbao to Beverly with a cargo of steel, silks, linen and blankets, she was
taken in Boston Bay, by H. B. M. Ship Chatham. (Revolutionary RoUs, xxiv. 53.)
Diana
Schooner Diana, 40 tons, 4 guns, 20 men. Privateer. Petition of Joseph
Swasey and others of Beverly, Richard Lakeman commander, August 20, 1781.
(Massachusetts Archives, clxxi. 64.)
408 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
Diana
' Snow Diana, 140 tons, 8 guns, 25 men. Letter of marque. Petition of Larkin
Thorndike September 19, 1780, William Herrick commissioned commander, with
Benjamin Bickford 1st mate, William Gage 2nd mate, Robert Stone, John
Eveleth, Zebulon Ober, Joseph Kittrege, John Kilam and William Roberts
mariners from Beverly. Other members of the crew were EUjah Whitreg of
Danvers, John Tuck of Manchester, George Hall, Moses Lufkin, John Tropater,
Benjamin Swain, Nehemiah Dean, Alfred Dodge, Israel Dodge, Benjamin
Lamson, John Balch, and Joseph Lufkin, all from Hamblet. The Diana was
taken by an EngUsh cruizer June 15, 1781, and John Tuck, Thomas Hadden,
Joseph Foster, Hezekiah Thissel, Nathan Woodman, and Zebulon Ober, all
Beverly men, were taken prisoners on her. (Massachusetts Archives, clxx. 132.)
Dolphin
Schooner Dolphin, 40 tons, 6 guns, 35 men. Privateer. Petition of William
Homans and others of Beverly, Joseph Knolton commissioned commander,
July 14, 1781. August 12, 1782, she was reported wrecked on Cape Sable.
Dove
Sloop Dove, unknown tonnage, commanded and owned by Robert Haskell of
Beverly. Spy vessel employed by the State. (Massachusetts] Archives, cxcv.
110.)
Dhiver
Sloop Driver, 70 tons, 8 guns, 20 men. Letter of marque. Petition of Josiah
Batchelder, Jr., Daniel Adams commissioned master, September 1, 1777. Robert
Haskell of Beverly commanded the Driver in 1779. The Driver was owned by
Josiah Batchelder, Jr., and Livermore Whittredge.
Eagle
Return of officers and petty officers of privateer brig Eagle June 17, 1780:
WiUiam Groves commander, John Pearson 1st lieutenant, John Harris 2nd
lieutenant, Jacob Oliver of Beverly master, Philip Richerson of Beverly mate,
Joseph Knight, Aaron Lee, Paul Foster prize masters, Thomas Pousland gunner,
John Leach boatswain, and Moses Prince steward. The Beverly names in the
crew, residence not given, were Joseph Ober, Thomas Stevens, Robert Leach,
William Morgan, Henry Tuck, George Gross, Joseph Baker, and Curtis Wood-
berry. Some of these might have been equally well residents of Salem. The
Eagle, owned by James Lovett and Moses Brown, was taken by an EngUsh
cruizer July 21, 1780.
Essex
Ship Essex, 200 tons, 20 guns, 150 men. Privateer. Petition of Jonathan
Jackson, Joseph Lee and J. & A. Cabot, April 14, 1781, John Cathcart com-
missioned commander. Job Prince agent. May 6, 1780, John Cathcart was
commander, Eben T. Thayer of Boston 1st lieutenant, James Lovett of Salem
2nd lieutenant, H. Pearson of Boston master, John Taylor of Providence, R. I.,
captain of marines, George Odell of Boston mate. There were no names signed
as from Beverly. The Essex was taken by H. B. M. Ship Queen Charlotte June
10, 1781. The following Beverly men were taken on her: Joseph Perkins, Robert
Raimond, Levi Woodberry, Andrew Peabody, Matthew Chambers, James Lovett,
and Benj. Sprague. (Massachusetts Archives,"clxxi. 369.)
1922]
BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION
409
Experiment
Brigantine Experiment, 130 tons, 6 six-pound guns, 2 swivels, 20 muskets, and
25 men. Letter of marque to West Indies. Petition of George Cabot, Joseph
Lee and others, March 30, 1779, John Porter commissioned master. The petition
asks that the Experiment may be commissioned "To trade with the AlUes of
U. S. in the W. I., and whereas in the course of the voyage there may be oppor-
tunity of annoying and capturing the vessels and property of the enemies of the
U. S. Your petitioners pray Your Honors to grant said John Porter proper
warrant therefore."
Fanny
Brigantine Fanny, 6 guns, 15 men. Letter of marque. Petition of Livermore
Whittredge, William Bartlett and others, June 14, 17S0, Herbert Woodberry
commissioned master. Taken May 28, 1781, by H. B. M. brig Providence. The
list of officers and crew August 23, 1780, was as follows: Herbert Woodberry
captain, Samuel Stone 1st mate, Edward Foster 2nd mate, William Hally, Luke
Woodberry, Nathaniel Trask, Jeremiah Thorndike, Martin Dayall, Josiah Foster,
Blackenberry Prince, Josiah Ober, Jacob Woodberry, Thomas Dodge mariners.
Thomas Dodge was from Wenham, all the rest from Beverly.
Fish Hawk
Sloop Fish Hawk, 50 tons, 8 guns, 40 men. Privateer. Petition of John
Dyson in behalf of Josiah Batchelder, Jr., and others, September 1, 1779, William
Groves commissioned commander. (Massachusetts Archives, cLxx. 378.)
Sloop Fish Hawk, 50 tons, 8 guns, 16 men. Letter of marque. Petition of
Josiah Batchelder, Jr., November 30, 1779, Samuel Foster commissioned master.
(Massachusetts Archives, cbod. 35.)
Sloop Fish Hawk, Letter of marque. Petition of Josiah Batchelder, Jr.,
Sept. 1st 1780 Israel Ober commissioned master. (Massachusetts Archives,
clxxvii. 45.)
Sloop Fish Hawk, 60 tons, 6 guns, 40 men. Privateer. Petition of Josiah
Batchelder, Jr., Samuel Foster commissioned commander, May 2, 1781. The
Fish Hawk was taken Sept. 21st 1781. (Massachusetts Archives, clxxi. 381.)
The Ust of the officers and crew who signed as Beverly men June 6, 1780,
was as follows:
Samuel Foster, captain
32 a
'ears
5 ft
5 in.
Dark
Nathaniel Ober, 1st mate 21
5 "
8 "
Light
Robert Stone, mar
iner 25
5 "
5 "
((
Isaiah Foster, '
21
5 "
4 "
Dark
Thomas Fitzgerald, '
22
5 "
6 "
Light
Benj. Sprague, '
20
5 "
4 "
Dark
Zebulon Ober, '
19
5 "
4 "
Light
George Groce, '
28
5 "
Dark
Eben Ray, '
19
5 "
5 "
Light
Osman Thorndike, '
19
5 "
5 "
Light
James Pearce, cabin boj
T 17
5 "
4 "
Light
410 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
Fly
Sloop Fly, 50 tons, 4 carriage and.._8 swivel guns, 40 men. Privateer. On
petition of Andrew Cabot and -Benjamin Lovett, John Marsh commissioned
commander, August 29, 1778, with Ezra Ober as 1st lieutenant. (Massachusetts
Archives, clxix. 117.)
Fortune
Brigantine Fortune, 100 tons, 8 guns and 18 men. Letter of marque. Petition
of Miles Greenwood and John Dyson, June 29, 1779, Francis Bowman com-
missioned master. (Massachusetts Archives, clxx. 190.)
Brigantine Fortune, 140 tons, 12 guns and 36 men. Privateer. Petition of
Miles Greenwood, April 27, 1780, Jesse Pearson commissioned commander
(Massachusetts Archives, clxxi. 136.)
Brigantine Fortune, 14 guns and 60 men. Privateer. Petition of John Dyson
July 3, 1781, Benjamin Ives commissioned commander. (Massachusetts Archives,
clxxi. 421.)
Brigantine Fortune, 7 guns, 15 men. Letter of marque. Petition of John
Dyson and others of Beverly, November 7, 1781, Richard Ober of Beverly
commissioned commander.
Fox
Brigantine Fox, 150 tons, 8 guns, 15 men. Letter of marque. On petition of
Stephen Higginson of Boston, Israel Johnson commissioned master, July 15,
1780. (Massachusetts Archives, clxxi. 196.)
Ship Fox, 100 tons, 8 guns and 20 men. Letter of marque. On petition of
Benjamin Lovett, Israel Johnson commissioned master, May 9, 1782. (Massa-
chusetts Archives, clxxii. 152.)
The bond of Brigantine Fox, July 14, 1780, signed by Benjamin Lovett,
Salem, is given in Revolutionary Rolls, v. 228. Whether the brigantine was
rerigged as a ship or there were two vessels seems uncertain.
Franklin
Brigantine Franklin, 200 tons, 18 six-pounders, 100 men. Privateer. On
petition of J. & A. Cabot and Bartholemew Putnam of Salem, April 20th 1778,
Thomas Connoly commissioned commander, I. Leach 1st lieutenant, J. Selman
2nd heutenant, and Jonathan Stevenson master.
Brigantine Franklin, 200 tons, 18 guns and 120 men. Privateer. On petition
of E. H. Derby, Jacob Ashton, and Bart. Putnam, Oct. 16, 1778, John Leach
commissioned commander, Jacob OHver 1st lieutenant. (Massachusetts Arcliives,
clxix. 229.)
Brigantine Franklin, 160 tons, 18 guns, 100 men. Privateer. On petition of
E. H. Derby, Joseph Robinson commissioned commander. (Massachusetts
Archives, clxx. 43.)
Ship Franklin, 200 tons, 15 guns, 120 men. Privateer. Petition of Joseph
Robinson on behalf of the owners, September 4, 1779, Joseph Robinson commis-
sioned commander. (Massachusetts Archives, clxx. 391.)
Ship Franklin, 220 tons, 18 guns and 100 men. Letter of marque. On petition
of Nathan Goodale, March 24, 1780, John Turner commissioned captain, John
Bray 1st mate, William Bacon surgeon. Under Captain Turner there were many
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 411
Marblehead, but no Beverlj^, men in the crew. (Massachusetts Archives,
ckxi. 105.)
Ship Franklin, 200 tons, 18 guns, 100 men. Privateer. Petition of J. & A.
Cabot, June 22, 1781, John Allen Hallet commissioned commander, Silas Devoll
1st lieutenant. On the back of the petition is endorsed "John Allen Hallet,
Master of the within ship, is 37 years of age, 6 ft. 6 in. in stature, and of dark
complexion. Silas Devoll, 1st Lieut, is 6 ft. tall, 40 years of age and dark."
(Massachusetts Archives, clxxi. 415.)
Ship Franklin, 200 tons, 18 guns, 100 men. Privateer. On petition of Bart.
Putnam of Salem, December 14, 1781, Silas Devoll commissioned commander.
(Massachusetts Archives, clxxii. 81.) The Salem Gazette of April 26, 1782,
reports that privateer Franklin, Captain Devoll, has been taken by H. B. M.
frigates Assurance and Amphiirite.
Freedom
Brigantine Freedom, 90 tons, 7 guns, 15 men. Letter of marque. Petition of
John Lovett of Beverly, September 7, 1780, Benjamin Ober commissioned master,
Jonathan Foster 1st mate, William Dike Cooper, Jonathan Clary and Cornelius
Woodberry mariners, all from Beverly. (Massachusetts Archives, clxxi. 268.)
Friendship
Schooner Friendship, Captain Benjamin Ellingwood, belonging to Ebenezer
Ellingwood and others, on a voyage from Salem for Surinam, laden with fish
and lumber was taken by the letter of marque To7n, December 28, 1777, and sent
into Liverpool.
General Wayne
Brigantine General Wayne, 90 tons, 8 guns, 25 men. Letter of marque. On
petition of Samuel Page of Salem, February 3, 1780, Richard Quatermass com-
missioned captain. (Revolutionary Rolls, xl. 87.)
Brigantine, Gen. Wayne. John Leach of Boston commissioned master, John
Bickford 1st mate, James Buckman 2nd mate, Francis Thompson boatswain,
James Parker gunner, John Batchelder mariner. All, except Captain Leach,
from Beverly. (Revolutionary Rolls, xl. 88.) The New York Gazette and Weekly
Mercury of September 9, 1780, reports brigantine Gen. Wayne taken by H. B. M.
ship Intrepid.
Hampden
Brigantine Hampden, 120 tons, 14 four-pounders, 120 men. Privateer. On
petition of George Cabot and others, July 5, 1777, Benjamin Warren commis-
sioned commander.
Bond of Jonathan Ingersoll, commander of brigantine Hampden, George Cabot
as surety, William Bartlett 1st lieutenant, November 1, 1777. (Revolutionary'
Rolls, vi. 103.)
The Gentleman's Magazine for April, 1778, xlviii. 189, reports the Hampden
rebel privateer 12 guns, 64 men, taken by the Seaford, and carried into Dominica.
Hawkb
Schooner Hawke, 50 tons, 6 guns, 15 men. Letter of marque. Petition of
Thomas Davis, of Beverly, and Ephriam Spooner, November 1, 1779, William
Holland commissioned master. (INlassachusetts Archives, clxxi. 1.)
412 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
Hector
Brigantine Hector, 150 tons, 8 guns, 17 men. Letter of marque. Petition of
George Cabot for Joseph Lee, Andrew Cabot and William Bartlett, March 17,
1777, Zachariah Burchmore commissioned master.
The Hector had sailed before for the Cabots under the name of the Union.
Hope
Brigantine Hope, 60 tons, 6 guns, 35 men. Privateer. Petition of Herbert
Woodberry, May 28, 1782, Herbert Woodberry commissioned commander.
Captured by English privateer Prince Edward, September 25, 1782, but retaken
by the crew. (Massachusetts Archives, clxxii. 673.)
Hopewell
Schooner Hopewell, 25 tons, 10 swivel guns, 40 men. Privateer. Petition of
William Homans and others of Beverly, July 26, 1782, Cornelius Dunham com-
missioned commander. March 26, 1783, same petitioners, Martin Brewster
commissioned commander. (Massachusetts Archives, clxxii. 209.)
Junius Brutus
Ship Junius Brutus, 20 six-pounders, 120 men. Privateer. On petition of
Joshua Ward and Henry Rust of Salem, John Leach commissioned commander,
Benjamin Moses 1st Ueutenant, William Carleton 2nd lieutenant, Daniel Adams
master. Names of Beverly men in the crew. Jack Ellis, Isaac Cornish, James
Black, Robert Remond, John Groce, and Absalom Goodrich. (Massachusetts
Archives, clxxi. 168.)
Ship Junius Brutus, 260 tons, 20 six and*9-pounders, 120 men. Privateer.
On petition of Josiah Orne and others of Salem, August 23, 1780, John Brooks
commissioned commander. (Massachusetts Archives, clxxi. 260.)
Ship Junius Brutus, 200 tons, 20 guns, 120 men. Privateer. Petition of
Nathan Goodale of Salem, Nathaniel Brookhouse commissioned commander,
October 27, 1781. (Massachusetts Archives, clxxii. 44.)
Ship Junius Brutus, same tonnage and force. Privateer. On petition of
Henry Rust and others of Salem, John Brooks commissioned commander June
19, 1782. Bond signed by Andrew Cabot and Henry Rust. The Junius Brutus
was taken by an English cruizer in 1782 and carried into Newfoundland.
October 17, 1782, a cartel arrived in Salem bringing the crew of the Junius
Brutus. (Massachusetts Archives, clxxii. 175.)
Lyon
Ship Lyon, 400 tons, 26 nine-pounders, 90 men. Letter of marque. Petition
of A. & J. Cabot, William Tuck commissioned master, March 6, 1782. The
Lyon was an English built ship, prize to the Ranger, bought by Mr. Cabot to
serve as a mast ship. She sailed May 6, 1782, and was captured the same day
by the English frigate Blonde.
Mars
Brigantine Mars of unknown tonnage and armament. Captain Joshua Elling-
wood. "Petition of Mark Lafitte, Native of France, at present Resident in
Salem, Humbly Showeth that the said Petitioner is owner of the Brigantine
Mars, Joshua Ellingwood, Master, laying in Beverly, which Brigantine was
ahnost ready for the Sea when an Embargo took place." Also a petition of
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 413
Jean Frangois Greste St. Firmin, that he had come to Salem on business two
months before, vras part owner of the cargo of the Mars and was anxious to
return to his home in the Island of High Hispaniola, whither the brigantine
was bound. To these petitions were affixed these certificates:
Beverly, Aug. 9, 1779,
We certify whom it may concern that the Brigantine Mars, commanded by
Capt. Joshua ElUngwood, now Lying in the harbour of Beverly is Loaded wit
Alewives, Menhaden and lumber And That There is no Cod or other Dried fish
on board Said Brigantine nor other provisions more than is necessary for her
present voyage.
Nathaniel Batchelder, Jr.
Nathan Leach
Council Chamber, Aug. 9, 1779, Ordered that the Naval Officer for the Port
of Salem be and hereby is Directed to clear out the Brigantine Mars, Letter of
Marque, now lying in the harbour of Beverly, bound to Hispaniola, when the
Embargo on Vessels shall expire, the Embargo on provisions notwithstanding,
Mohock
Ship Mohock, 262 tons, 20 sLx-pounders, 130 men. Privateer. On petition
of WilUam Leach, William Bartlett and others of Beverly, Ehas Smith com-
missioned commander, November 8, 1781. The Mohock was a new ship built
especially for a privateer. On September 6, 1782, John Carnes succeeded
Captam Smith and the Mohock was taken fourteen days out by H. B. M. ship
Enterprise and sent into New York.
Neptune
Brigantine Neptune, 115 tons, 14 gims, SO men. Privateer. This vessel was
partly o^-ned in Beverly m 1779, but who her owners were is imcertain. The
petition for her commission, dated August 5, 1779, was signed by George Dodge
of Salem, and as he was associated with Andrew Cabot in many enterprises it is
probable that the latter was largely interested. The Neptune was commanded
by John Ashton, with John Marsh as heutenant, both of Beverly.
New AD-\nENTrHE
Brig Neio Adventure, 14 gims, 50 men. Privateer. Petition of William Orne
and John Leach of Salem, John Neal, Jr., commissioned commander, Jacob
Oliver 1st heutenant, Edward Stanly 2nd lieutenant. A number of American
privateers were dogging the Quebec fleet and nine of them were taken and
carried into Halifax, and some to St. John's, Newfoundland. Brig New Adventure,
Captain Neal of Beverly. (New York Mercury, September 21, 1781.) The
brig New Adventure is usually credited to Salem, the only authority for calling
it a Beverly vessel is the above statement of the New York Mercury.
Oliver Cromwell
Brigantine Oliver Cromwell, 162 tons, 16 guns, 130 men. Privateer. On
petition of John Derby of Salem and Andrew Cabot of Beverly, William Cole
commissioned commander, April 29, 1777. (Revolutionary Rolls, vii. 300.)
Brigantine Oliver Cromwell, 160 tons, 16 guns, 100 men. Privateer. Petition
of Jonathan Ingersoll, July 10, 1778, Thomas Simmons commissioned commander,
James BaiT 1st lieutenant.
414 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
Ship Oliver Cromwell, 150 tons, 16 six-pound guns, 110 men. Privateer. On
petition of Bart. Putnam and John Derby, March 29, 1779, Thomas Simmons
commissioned commander. (Massachusetts Archives, clxx. 41.)
Ship Oliver Cromwell, 150 tons, 18 guns, 110 men. Privateer. On petition of
Bart Putnam and others, August 11, 1779, James Barr commissioned commander,
I. Carpenter 1st Heutenant, Samuel West 2nd lieutenant. (Massachusetts
Archives, ckx. 320.)
Ship Oliver Cromwell, 160 tons, 16 guns, 85 men. Privateer. On petition of
Nathan Leach, Wilham Bartlett and others of Beverly, John Bray commissioned
commander, April 19, 1781. (Massachusetts Archives, clxxi. 371.)
The Oliver Cromwell, Captain Bray, while dogging the Quebec fleet was taken
by a British frigate and sent into Newfoundland. On September 22, 1781, a
cartel arrived at Boston from Newfoundland bringing Captain Bray and hia
crew.
Pilgrim
Ship Pilgrim, 200 tons, 16 nine-pounders, 140 men. Privateer. On petition
of John and Andrew Cabot, Hugh Hill was commissioned commander, September
12, 1778, John Hooper 1st lieutenant, Benj. Moses 2nd lieutenant. (Massa-
chusetts Archives, clxix. 157.)
Ship Pilgrim, 200 tons, 18 nine-pounders, 160 men. Privateer. On petition
of Andrew Cabot, Joseph Robinson commissioned commander, iNIarch 24, 1780.^
(Massachusetts Archives, clxxi. 104.)
Ship Pilgrim, 200 tons, 18 guns, 150 men. Privateer. On petition of William
Creed, in behalf of Jonathan Jackson, Joseph Lee, and J. & A. Cabot, Joseph
Robinson commissioned commander, April 14, 1781. (Massachusetts Archives,
clxxi. 369.) The New York Mercury of May 16, 1782, reports American privateer
Pilgrim prize to H. B. M. ivigoXo. Belisarius;^ American papers of October 12,
1782, report that the privateer Pilgrim was chased ashore on Cape Cod by the
English frigate Chatham.
1 The officers and petty officers of the Pilgrim August 14, 1780, were as fol-
lows: Joseph Robinson, Salem, commander; Jesse Allen, Manchester, 1st heuten-
ant; Benjamin Warren, Salem, 2nd lieutenant; Nicholas Garven, Boston, master;
George Sugden, Beverly, master's mate; John Dean, Salem, 2nd mate; J. L.
Hammond, Salem, 3rd mate; Samuel Blanchard, Boston, surgeon; Nathaniel
Otis, Salem, chaplain; William Curtis, master of marines; Moses Vose, John
Harris, Francis Horton, Joseph Hudson, John Kelly, John Marsh, and Thomas
Hogkins, all prize masters; Jonathan Glidden, Beverly, carpenter; William
Foot, Salem, cooper; Joseph Johnson, Salem, doctor's mate; John Turner, gunner;
James Lyons, Marblehead, sailmaker; Jonathan McDowell, boatswain; Joseph
Standly and William Vose, stewards. Of the crew only two, James Elliot and
Richard Allen, were Beverly men. There were ten boys, one eleven, two twelve,
two thirteen and five seventeen years or younger. Most of the crew were of
foreign birth.
^ This report of the capture of the Pilgrim was probably incorrect. At all
events the vessel, if captured, was not the Pilgrim of Beverly.
There is in existence a log kept by Dr. Josiah Bartlett while surgeon on the
Pilgrim of Beverly from April 19, 1781, to July 23, 1782. This log will be
printed in Vol. xxv. of the Publications of this Society.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 415
Rambler
Ship Rambler, on February 18, 1777, Andrew Cabot, owner of ship Rambler,
petitions the Council for permission to clear the Rambler in ballast for some
neutral port in Europe, to bring back salt, woolens and naval stores. The
Rambler probably belonged to Mr. Cabot several years prior to her commission
in 1777. In 1776 the Rambler was at Bilbao, Spain, under command of George
Cabot. In 1777 Andrew Cabot in a letter to Gardoqui & Sons, Bilbao, writes:
"The Rambler, Capt. Simmons, which is owned by George Dodge and myself."
(Massachusetts Archives, clxvi. 269.)
Ship Rambler, 200 tons, 14 six-pounders, 50 men. Letter of marque. On
petition of Andrew Cabot and others of Beverty, Benjamin Lovett commissioned
master, October 16, 1779. (Massachusetts Archives, clxx. 434.)
Ship Rambler, same tonnage and force. Letter of marque. Petition of J. &
A. Cabot, February 14, 1782, Benjamin Lovett commissioned master. The
Beverly men on the Rambler in 1780 were Benjamin Lovett captain, and William
Ober, H. Hair, Robert Haskell, Robert Stanly, Nathan Gage, John Ellingwood,
and William Poland mariners. (Revolutionary Rolls, xl, 70.)
Reprisal
Brig'antine Reprisal, 70 tons, 8 three-pound guns, and 10 swivels and 60 men.
Privateer. On petition of Job Prince and Samuel White of Boston, agents for
themselves and Jacob Fowler, Andrew Cabot, John Coffin Jones and Benjamin
Hichbourne, owners, John Wheelwright commissioned commander, October 3,
1776, Samuel Smallcorn 1st lieutenant, Nathaniel Thayer 2nd lieutenant, John
Gregore master, Joseph Pitman steward, Stephen Johnson gunner, and John
Ritchmond doctor. (Revolutionary Rolls, vii. 34.) The Reprisal may have been
captured in 1777, as Nathaniel Tha^-er, her 1st lieutenant, returned on the cartel
Swift from Halifax November 9, 1777.
Resource
Ship Resource, 178 tons, 16 six-pounders, 30 men. Letter of marque. Petition
of Thomas Woodberry, Ebenezer Parsons, and Israel Thorndike, June 10, 1780.
Israel Thorndike commissioned master. (Revolutionary Rolls, xl. 64.)
List of officers and crew and share of prize money: Israel Thorndike captain,
8 shares; Richard Ober mate, 4 shares; Andrew Thorndike 2nd mate, 3 shares;
Samuel Cressy master, 3 shares; Nathan French gunner, 2 shares; Francis Gordon
boatswain, 2 shares; Batholemew carpenter, 2 shares; Jonathan Wooden master's
mate, 1^ shares; Edward Lee master of marines, 2 shares; Dana Whipple' of
Ipswich, steward, 1}4 shares; Joseph Whittredge of Dan vers, William Eaves and
Stephen Barker of Taunton, Ephriam Walton of Ipswich, Jonathan White of
Boston, Jacob Thompson, Nathan Beaurigard, Edward Larcom, William Gage,
Nicholas Thorndike, George Bray, Herrick, Richard Ober, all mariners from
Beverly except where noted, 1 share. There were also three boys, Ezra Hall 16,
Herbert Vickory 16, and Edward Marvell 14 years of age.
Ship Resource, 140 tons, 10 guns and 24 men. Letter of marque. Petition of
Thomas Woodberry and others, September 7, 1780, Richard Ober commissioned
master. (Massachusetts Archives, clxxi. 176.)
List of officers and crew and ages September 11, 1780: Richard Ober captain,
3.5 years; Andrew Thorndike 1st mate, 27 years; Sam. Cressy 2nd mate, 27 vears;
416 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
John Waters, 28; Andrew Ober, 18; John Woodbj-, 22; Jacob Woodby, 18;
Andrew Woodby, 30; Thomas Woodby, 37; Ebenezer Woodby, 25; John Lovett,
27; Jacob Brown of Wenham, 28; Nathan Thome, 18; Jacob Thompson, 18;
John Savage, 27; Thomas Harris, 27; Thomas Ober, 22; David Allen, 29;
Richard Ober, 24; Richard Thome, 22; Nicholas Thorndike, 22; John Rea, 22;
Joseph Ray, 24; and Andrew Woodman, 27 years of age. All of Beverly except
one. (Revolutionary Rolls, xl. 66.)
The Resource was taken by an English crnizer in 1780.
Retaliation
Brigantine Retaliation, 70 tons, 10 guns, 9 swivels, 70 men. Privateer. On
petition of Josiah Batchelder, Jr., September 4, 1776, Eleazer Giles commander,
Thomas Stephens 1st lieutenant, John Proctor 2nd lieutenant. (Massachusetts
Archives, clxv. 204.) The Retaliation was taken in the autumn of 1777.
Revenge
Sloop Revenge, 90 tons, 12 guns, 60 men. Privateer. Petition of Miles Green-
wood and Joseph Lee, May 14, 1776, Joseph White commissioned commander.
(Massachusetts Archives, clxiv. 356.) The sloop Revenge was afterwards com-
manded by Benjamin Warren, Edward Gibaut, and Benjamin Dean.
Revolution
Ship Revolution, 330 tons, 20 9-pounders, 130 men. Privateer. On petition of
J. & A. Cabot, March 6, 1782, Stephen Webb commissioned commander.
Rover
Sloop Rover, 8 guns, 50 men. Privateer. On petition of Jacob Ashton,
Joseph Sprague and others, July 17, 1776, Simon Forester commissioned captain.
(Massachusetts Archives, clxv. 421.)
Sloop Rover, same armament. Privateer. On petition of Benjamin Goodhue
for the owners, November 13, 1776, Abijah Boden was commissioned commander.
(Massachusetts Archives, clxvi. 37.)
Sloop Rover, 60 tons, 8 guns and 50 men. Privateer. On petition of John
Derby, Andrew Cabot and others, August 9, 1777, John Mitchell commissioned
commander. (Massachusetts Archives, cLxvii. 319.)
Sally
Ship Sally, Captain John Buffinton. Andrew Cabot was part owner.
Saratoga
Brig Saratoga, 120 tons, 8 guns and 30 men. Letter of marque. On petition
of Andrew Cabot, Joseph Lee and others, July.'l, 1778, John Tittle commissioned
master.
Brig Saratoga, 120 tons, 10 guns, 30 men. Letter of marque. On petition of
Andrew Cabot, November 20, 1779, Stephen Webb commissioned master.
(Massachusetts Arclaives, clxxi. 28.)
September 4, 1780, Eleazer Giles was master of the letter of marque Saratoga
and the list of officers and crew was as follows: Eleazer Giles master, William
ElUngwood Ist mate, Benjamin Parsons of Gloucester 2nd mate, Nicholas Ober
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 417
prize master, James Hooper of Marblehead gunner, James Higgins (born in
Virginia, lives in Beverly), Richard Green, Jonathan Bowls, Benjamin Roundy
(Salem), Thomas Giles (Salem), John Tufts (Danvers), Ceaser and Cato Mont-
gomery cooks, Joseph Haskell, all natives and residents of Beverly, except where
noted. There were also two English prisoners, Robert Lefavour and James
Mull, serving as mariners on the vessel.
On November 1, 1780, the brig Saratoga was reported condemned and sold
at Beverly.
Scorpion
Schooner Scorpion, 50 tons, 14 swivel and 2 carriage guns, 40 men. Privateer.
On petition of Joseph White and Miles Greenwood of Salem, November 8, 1777,
Israel Thorndike commissioned commander, John Ashton 1st heutenant. (Massa-
chusetts Archives, ckvii. 436-.)
Schooner Scorpion, 45 tons, 16 swivel guns, 40 men. Privateer. On petition
of E. H. Derby, February 27, 1778, John Brooks commissioned commander,
John Marsh 1st lieutenant.
Schooner Scorpion, 50 tons, 2 guns, 40 men. On petition of Josiah Batchelder,
Jr., June 16, 1778, Benjamin Niles commissioned master. In this petition the
Scorpion is called both letter of marque and privateer.
Schooner Scorpion, same armament and petitioners. Letter of marque.
March 18, 1779, Benjamin Ives was commissioned master. September 20, 1779,
Perry Howland was master. (Massachusetts Archives, clxx. 25, 410.)
Scourge
Ship Scourge, 240 tons, 20 guns, 120 men. On petition of Brown & Thorndike,
May 24, 1781, Timothy Parker commissioned commander. The Scourge was
taken by an English cruizer April 22, 1782.
Sebastian
Ship Sebastian, 150 tons, 10 gims, 30 men. Letter of marque. On petition of
Andrew Cabot, February IS, 1779, Benjamin Lovett commissioned master.
(Massachusetts Archives, ckLx. 444.)
Ship Sebastian, same force and petitioner, September 18, 1779, Benjamin
Ellingwood master. August 21, 1780, Ichabod Groves master. (Massachusetts
Archives, ckx. 403.) Said to have been taken by an EngUsh cruizer in 1780.
Shaker
Galley Shaher, 50 tons, 6 four-pounders, 40 men. Privateer. On petition of
Job Prince, Andrew Cabot and others, May 9, 1782, Samuel Stacy commissioned
commander. (Massachusetts Archives, clxxii. 153.)
Ship Shaker, 50 tons, 6 guns, 40 men. Privateer. On petition of Brown &
Thorndike, February 26, 1783, James Lovett commissioned commander.
(Massachusetts Archives, ckxii. 307.)
Spanish Packet
Ship Spanish Packet,'10 guns and 20 men. Letter of marque. On petition of
Francis Cabot and James Jeffreys, February 18, 1782, Thomas Baling com-
missioned master.
418 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
Starks
Brigantine Starks, 120 tons, 6 guns and 20 men. Letter of marque. On
petition of Andrew Cabot, Richard Quatermass commissioned master. (Massa-
chusetts Archives, clxviii. 67.)
Brigantine Starks, 10 guns and 20 men. Letter of marque. On petition of
Andrew Cabot October 16, 1779, Ezra Ober was commissioned master, Richard
Ober 1st mate, Edward Foster 2nd mate, Benjamin Porter gunner, Benjamin
Presson prize master, James Richerson, David Bunker, Jolm Tuck, John Anderson,
WilHam Morgan, Robert Stanly, Osman Thorndike, WiUiam Thompson, all of
Beverly; Joseph and Nathaniel Ivingman of Wenham; James Dodge and Thomas
Stevens of Ipswich.
Sturdy Beggae
Schooner Sturdy Beggar, 90 tons, 6 guns and 20 men. Privateer. On petition
of E. H. Derby, June 13, 1776, Peter Landen of Salem commissioned commander.
(Massachusetts Archives, clxiv. 391.)
Schooner Sturdy Beggar, number of guns and crew not given. Privateer. On
petition of Benjamin Goodhue, August 2, 1776, Allen Hallet commissioned
commander. (Massachusetts Archives, clxv. 24.)
Schooner Sturdy Beggar, 100 tons, 8 gims and 60 men. Privateer. On petition
of Benj. Goodhue and others, October 2, 1776, Edward Rowland commissioned
commander. (Massachusetts Archives, clxv. 308.) On February 24, 1777, the
Sturdy Beggar, Captain Rowland, was reported taken by an EngUsh cruizer and
the crew afterwards confined in Mill Prison.
Brigantine Sturdy Beggar, 100 tons, 10 guns and crew of unknown number.
Privateer. On petition of Joshua Ward of Salem, August 20, 1777, PhiUp Le-
favour of Marblehead commissioned commander. (Revolutionary Rolls, v. 3.)
Bond of Sturdy Beggar signed by Benjamin Goodhue and Andrew Cabot.
Whether the schooner Sturdy Beggar had not been taken by an English cruizer
and JDeen rerigged as a brigantine, or whether this was another vessel, the writer
has been unable to ascertain. The brigantine Sturdy Beggar is said to have been
wrecked on the coast of France.
Success
Ship Success, Captain William Langdon. Petition of Zachariah Gage, June
16, 1777, for exchange of Captain Langdon, two mates and sLx sailors, of ship
Success of Beverly, taken seven weeks before b}- the Diamond frigate. (Massa-
chusetts Archives, clxvii. 32.)
Brig Success, 120 tons, 8 gims and 15 men. Letter of marque. On petition of
Stephen Higginson and Francis Cabot of Salem, January 4, 1779, Wilham Groves
commissioned master. (Massachusetts Archives, clxix. 398.)
Swallow
Schooner Swallow, 60 tons. Petition of Thomas Davis of Beverly to send the
Swallow to Virginia for flour, January 8, 1777.
Schooner Swallow, John Loviet, master. Built in New England in 1750.
Registered at Salem, October 22, 1750. Owned by Thomas Davis and Benjamin
Fisher. (Essex Institute Historical Collections, v. 282.)
1922]
BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION
419
Swift
Brigantine Swift, 100 tons, 8 guns and 20 men. Letter of marque. Petition
of Williana Homans and others, January o, 1781, Asa \\'oodberry commissioned
master. (Massachusetts Archives, ckxi. 324.)
Brigantine Smft, 100 tons, 14 guns, 70 men. Privateer. Petition of William
Homans and others of Beverly, January 5, 1781, John Tittle commissioned
commander. (Massachusetts Archives, cbod. 405.)
Brigantine Swift, 100 tons, 14 guns, 70 men. Privateer. Same petition,
October 20, 1781, Israel Johnson commissioned commander. (Massachusetts
Archives, cLxxii. 36.) The Swift was captured in 1782.
Terrible Creature
Brigantine Terrible Creature, 16 guns, 100 men. Privateer. Petition of
George and Andrew Cabot, March 9, 1778, Robert Richardson commissioned
commander, Zachariah Bu'chmore 1st heutenant, Nathaniel West 2nd lieutenant,
John Bradford master.
True American
Schooner True American, 90 tons, 10 guns, 70 men. Privateer. Petition of
George Dodge for Andrew Cabot, April 29, 1777, John Buffinton commissioned
commander, Benjamin Chapman 1st lieutenant, John Brooks 2nd lieutenant,
William Thomas master. (Massachusetts Archives, clxvi. 372.)
Brigantine True American, 90 tons, 70 guns, 25 men. Letter of marque.
Petition of Andrew Cabot, May 20, 1778, John BuflSnton commissioned com-
mander. (Massachusetts Archives, cbcviii. 237.)
Two Friends
Schooner Two Friends, 60 tons. Owned in 1782 by Andrew Cabot.
Valiant
Schooner Valiant. No record of her commission in the State Archives, except
list of officers and crew, June 3, 1780:
Joshua EUingwood Capt. 28 years of age 5 ft. 2 in. in stature dark
Nathan Batchelder
Mate
29
5 " 6 " "
(1
lite
William Porter
28
5 " 5 " "
K
dark
Edward Smith
20
5 " 8 " "
a
lite
David Herrick
22
5 " 8 " "
a
dark
Nathaniel Wallis
21
5 " 9 " "
a
lite
Joshua Herrick
18
5 "
(I
lite
Union
Brigantine Union, 120 tons, 6 guns, 4 swivels, 20 men. Petition of Samuel
Ward of Salem, January' 4, 1779, WilUam Langdell commissioned captain.
(Massachusetts Archives, clxix. 399.)
Warren
Schooner Warren, 50 tons, 5 carriage and 10 swivel guns, 50 men. Privateer.
Petition of Josiah Batchelder, Jr., and others, October 29, 1776, Israel Thorndike
commissioned commander, Nicholas Ogleeby 1st lieutenant, WilUam Ryan
2nd lieutenant, John Lee master. (Massachusetts Archives, clxLx. 396.)
420 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
Schooner Warren, 60 tons, 10 guns, 50 men. Privateer. Petition of Josiah
Batchelder, Jr., April 29, 1777, Nicholas Ogleeby, commissioned commander.
Schooner Warren, 60 tons, 10 guns, 50 men. Privateer. Petition of Josiah
Batchelder, Jr., December 3, 1777, John Ravell commissioned commander,
Samuel Foote 1st lieutenant. The Warren was taken by the To7n, December 27,
1777, and by the Fanny February 6, 1778.
Washington
Brigantine Washington, 90 tons, 12 guns, 80 men. Privateer. Petition of
John Dj'son, Thomas Davis of Beverly and Jonathan Hobby and Samuel Thwing
of Boston, October 3, 1776, Elias Smith commissioned commander, James Lovett
1st lieutenant, William Tuck 2nd lieutenant, John Vickory master.^ (Massa-
chusetts Archives, clxv. 311.)
Brigantine Washington, same force and petitions. May 2, 1777, Elias Smith
commissioned commander. (Massachusetts Arcliives, clxvi. 379.)
Brigantine Washington, 95 tons, 14 guns, 75 men. Privateer. Petition of
Samuel Dyson and Samuel Thwing, November 8, 1777, Nicholas Ogleby com-
missioned commander, John Ober 1st lieutenant, William Ryan 2nd lieutenant,
David Stevenson master. (In the bond the name is written "Oglisby.") (Massa-
chusetts Archives, clxvii. 437.)
It is possible that the Washington, Captain Ogleeby, was not the original
Washington.
Of the seventy merchant and private armed vessels, described
in the above hst, it is probable that sixty were owned or controlled
in Beverly and the other ten out of town. It is possible that some
have been included which properly belonged to Salem, but the change
of ownership in those days was so frequent, the evidence so con-
flicting, that it is hard to draw the line. There w^ere undoubtedly
other vessels, besides the above, sailing from Beverly, and there
is reason to believe that the following vessels might be included
in the list, though proof is lacking:
Schooner Gen. Gates Owned in 1776 by John Gardner and partner. John
Cabot, witness on the bond.
Schooner Harlequin Owned in 1776 by John Gardner and partner. The
Harlequin was the schooner Sally, renamed, and
Andrew Cabot owned J^ of the Sally.
Brig Pluto Petition of Josiah Orne of Salem in 1777. Andrew
Cabot, witness on the bond.
Schooner Fair Lady Owned in Ipswich in 1776. Wilham Romans, Jr.,
one of her owners.
^ With the exception of John Vickory, who was probably a Marblehead
man, all the officers and most of the crew were from Beverly.
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 421
Ship Rhodes Owned by William Shillaber and others in 1780. The
Rhodes sent a number of prizes into Beverlj- and
several were sold at the Cabot wharf.
Ship Hawk, Ship Neptune, Brig Neptune, Schooner Resolution, Schooner
Batchelder, Sloop Gates, Brig Rambler.
It is impossible to enumerate all the vessels in which Beverly-
capital was interested, and the above is only a partial list. Shares
in vessels were reckoned in eighths and multiples of that fraction
and, in absence of other kinds of investment, the inhabitants of
the seaport towns bought and sold them as stocks are bought and
sold to-day. Men used their shares in ships as collateral, bought
and sold futures; hedged against possible losses; sold short and played
the game for all it was worth, and a fascinating game it was: a hun-
dred pounds invested might within thirty days pay back a thousand;
one successful cruize might win a fortune. To be sure, the chance
of loss was great, but when did that ever check the gambling spirit?
Under these conditions the control of vessels passed rapidly from
hand to hand. The prosperous ship-owner of to-day might be the
bankrupt of to-morrow, and within six months' time the same vessel
might be owned consecutively in Beverly, Salem, and Boston. This
spirit of speculation or gambling also affected the officers and men
of the private armed vessels. After a successful cruize many of
them, like the Scotch Highlanders after a victory, gave up their
positions for a time and remained ashore to squander their booty.
The history of Revolutionary privateering in the town of Beverly
is, as has been said, the history of the house of Cabot. Before the
war the firm of J. & A. Cabot had no great prominence in New Eng-
land, though of good credit and considerable means. Beginning
with small and scattered ventures in privateers, by shrewdness
and natural ability they had by the end of the war accumulated
great wealth and had become the most prosperous mercantile firm
in the State. Andrew Cabot was a student of conditions, a good
judge of men, and his partner, Joseph Lee, was an expert in ship
architecture. ]\Iuch of the firm's success was due to the captains
commanding their vessels, and these Andrew Cabot picked with
rare judgment and bound to the firm by liberal and considerate
treatment. Hugh Hill, Benjamin Lovett, John Edmonds, John
Buffinton, and Joseph Robinson were especial favorites of the firm
and made much money for themselves and the owners.
422
THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS
[Jan.
To give a complete list of the vessels in which the firm of J. &
A. Cabot were interested is impossible, but that they were part
owners in the following is certain:
Brigantine Active
Ship
Pilgrim
Ship Black Prince
Ship
Rambler
Ship Buccanier
Brigantine Reprisal
Snow Calo
Sloop
Revenge
Brig Chance
Ship
Revolution
Ship Cicero
Sloop
Rover
Ship Commerce
Ship
Sally
Brigantine Defence
Schooner
Sally
Brigantine Defence
Sloop
Sally
Snow Diana
Brig
Saratoga
Ship Essex
Ship
Sebastian
Brigantine Experiment
Galley
Shaker
Sloop Fly
Ship
Spanish Packet
Brigantine Fortune
Brigantine Starks
Brigantine Hampden
Schooner
Sturdy Beggar
Brigantine Hector
Brigantine Terrible Creature
Brigantine Hope
Schooner
True American
Ship Junius Brutus
Schooner
Two Friends
Ship Lyon
Brigantine Union
Ship Oliver Cromwell
The total tonnage owned in Beverly in 1780 amounted to 2844
tons, and of this J, & A. Cabot controlled more than two-thirds.
The Cicero, Revolution, Buccanier, Lyon, and Rambler were owned
almost entirely by the firm, the others merely enough to hold con-
trol. A certain amount of the tonnage of vessels sailing from Beverly
was held out of town. The following list for 1780 is given in the
Nathan Dane Papers:
Buccanier
200 tons
Owned
in Salem and Boston
12/96
Pilgrim
235
ii
u
a u 11 (1
" Newbury
32/96
16/96
Scourge
235
a
11
11
" Salem and Boston
" Newbury
24/96
6/96
Mohawk
200
(I
u
" Ipswich
8/96
Fortune
90
11
Out of town
24/96
Swift
90
n
<<
((
24/96
Sch. Two Friends
60
It
(1
((
12/96
Revolution
260
((
"
" Beverly
Cicero
240
11
(1
(( ((
Lyon
300
a
((
U It
Chance
100
11
u
tl It
1922] BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION 423
From 1781 to 1783 the loss of vessels to Beverly by capture was
very great, but even then Beverly was more fortunate than her
sister seaport town. On January 7, 1782, George Williams writes:
"The town of JNIarblehead has lost all but two or three vessels.
The town of Beverly is almost in the same order except John and
Andrew Cabot. They own 2^ parts of tlu-ee ships in France which
sent into France 4000 hogshead of sugar and several other prizes.
Joseph Lee, Edward Allen and ]\Ir. Gardner own the other }>^."
Mr. Cabot w^as better off than George Williams gives him credit,
for, besides those mentioned, he owned the Rambler, and durino-
the year bought or built a new Pilgrim and a new Commerce. As
soon as peace was declared he prepared to carry out a previously
formed plan. A vessel not named. Captain Fearson, had already
sailed for the Baltic and in the early spring of 1784 the Commerce,
Captain Tuck, cleared for St. Petersburg. She was followed May
17, 1784, by the Sebastian, Captain Worsely, and the two ships
arrived back at Beverly, the Commerce October 8, 1784, and the
Sebastian a few days later.^ The two voyages vrere not profitable,
but Mr. Cabot was not discouraged, and in 1785 he writes to Gardoqui
& Sons: "We have quitted the West India trade and the trade in
piece goods and have built two rope walks and gone into the Russian
line, importing hemp, iron and sail cloth and sell entirely for fish.
We supply }4 of the articles mentioned for Beverly, Salem, Glouces-
ter, Manchester and Marblehead."
With the coming of peace, trade reasserted itself. To one who
reads over the entries and clearances of the port of Salem from April
4, 1783, when Captain Derby in the Astrea brought the first printed
copy of the declaration of cessation of arms, it seems as though
all the vessels lost during the seven years of war had sprung to life
and assumed a peaceful guise. Vessels with the same old names,
often with the same captain, cleared from port as fast as they could
be fitted out. Asa Woodberry in the Swallow and Robert Haskell
1 "Elsinore May 27, 1783. Yesterday arrived the first commercial ship
which has appeared in our seas. She came from Boston bound for Riga" (Salem
Gazette, August 1, 17S3). As Capt. Fearson in the Buccanur sailed from France
for the Baltic as soon as peace was declared, it is possible that this is the vessel
meant and that Andrew Cabot had the honor of first showing our flag in those
waters. In 1784 the Commerce, Capt. Tuck, reached St. Petersburg before the
Light Horse and beat her on the return voyage.
424 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [Jan.
in the Tryal were among the earliest. May 16th Joshua Ellingwood
in the Industry cleared for Guadaloupe, and a few days later Ezra
Ober returned from France in the Cicero. June 16th x\ndrew Thorn-
dike sailed for Hispaniola in the Active, and during the year we
see Captain Tuck in the Commerce, Benjamin Lovett in the Rambler,
John Carnes in the Sebastian, Benjamin Ives in the Volant, Richard
Ober in the Jaiie, John Tittle in the Hector, James Lovett in the
Leopard, and Isaac Ray in the Chance.
In conclusion, it may be doubted whether privateering, from a
business point of view, was profitable to our Massachusetts seaport
towns. A few men like Andrew Cabot and Hasket Derby made
great fortunes, but the majority lost all they had. Still warfare
of any kind is an economic loss, and damage to the enemy a necessary
part of warfare, and in this sense privateering was a success.
Appendix
Here is given an alphabetical list of officers on Beverly privateers
and letters of marque vessels, their residences and rank held on any
vessel during the war, also date of commissions.
Adams, Daniel 1st Lieut. State brigantiae Independence,
Beverly Capt. Samson Sept. 19, 1776
Salem 1st Lieut. State brigantine Freedom,
Capt. John Clouston Feb. 10, 1777
Captain L. M.^ sloop Driver Sept. 1, 1779
Commander privateer schooner Lively Apr. 22, 1782
Captain L. M. schooner, name not given Nov. 18, 1782
Commander privateer schooner Hawk Dec. 3, 1782
Allen, Jesse 1st Lieut, privateer brigantine Franklin,
Manchester Capt. John Leach Oct. 15, 1778
1st Lieut, privateer ship Pilgrim,
Capt. Joseph Robinson Aug. 14, 1782
Ashton, John 1st Lieut, privateer schooner Scorpion,
Beverly Capt. Israel Thorndike Nov. 7, 1777
Commander privateer schooner iJomprfen July 14,1778
Commander privateer brigantine Nep-
tune Aug. 5, 1779
Bacon, William Surgeon privateer ship Franklin,
Salem Capt. John Turner Dec. 2, 1780
Barr, James 1st Lieut, privateer ship Oliver Cromwell,
Salem Capt. Thomas Simmons July 8, 1778
1 The letters "L.M." indicate "Letter of marque."
1922]
BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION
425
Bartlett, John
Beverlj ?
Bartlett, William
Beverly?
Batchelder, Nathan
Beverly
Bickford, Benj.
Beverly
Bickford, John
Beverlv
Blanchard, Samuel
Boston
Boardman, John
Bowman (Bourman),
Francis
Salem
Bradford, John
Boston
Bray, John
Marblehead
Beverly
Brazail, James
Beverly?
Commander privateer sloop Oliver Crom-
well
Commander privateer ship Oliver Crom-
well
Commander privateer ship Rover
Commander privateer brigantine Mont-
gomery
2nd Lieut, privateer sloop Satisfaction
Commander privateer brigantine Hamp-
den
1st Lieut, privateer brigantine Hamp-
den,
Capt. Jonathan IngersoU
1st Mate L. M. schooner Valiant,
Capt. Joshua Ellingwood
Ist Mate L. M. snow Diana,
Capt. William Herrick
Captain L. M. ship Daniel
1st Mate L. M. ship Cornwall,
Capt. John Edmonds
1st Mate L. M. brigantine Gen. Wayne,
Capt. John Leach
Surgeon privateer ship Vengeance,
Capt. Thomas Thomas
Surgeon privateer ship Pilgrim,
Capt, Joseph Robinson
2nd Lieut, privateer brig Defence,
Capt. John Edmonds
Captain L. M. sloop Independence
1st Lieut, privateer ship Black Prince,
Capt. Elias Smith
Captain L. M. brigantine Fortune
Sailing master privateer brigantine
Terrible Creature,
Capt. Robert Richardson
1st Lieut, privateer schooner True Blue,
Capt. Richard Stiles
Ist Lieut. State brigantine Tyrannicide,
Capt. Jonathan Harraden
1st Lieut, privateer ship Franklin,
Capt. John Turner
1st Lieut, privateer brigantine Gen.
Pickering
Captain privateer ship Oliver Cromwell
Ist Lieut. L. M. brigantine Union,
Capt. William Langdell
Aug. 11, 1779
Aug. 16
May 28
June 20
Nov. 4
Dec. 1
Nov. 1,
1777
June 3,
1780
Sept. 23,
1780
Apr.
1782
Jan. 15,
1778
June 17,
1780
June 27,
1779
Aug. 2,
1780
July 6,
1779
Jan. 1,
1777
June 23,
1778
June 28,
1779
Mar. 9
Apr.
29,
1777
Sept.
15,
1777
Dec.
2,
1780
Sept.
30,
1778
Apr.
19.
1781
Jan.
4.
1779
1779
1781
1782
1776
1777
1778
426
THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS
[Jan.
Brewster, Martin
Cape Cod?
Brookhouse, Nathaniel
Salem
Brooks, John
Salem
Brown, Thomas
Buckman, James
Beverly
Buffinton, John
Salem
Burchmore, Zachariah
Beverly?
Carnes, John
Beverly
Carpenter, J.
Carwick (Carrack),
John
Beverly
Cathcart, John
Salem
Chapman, Benj.
Salem
Captain privateer schooner Hopewell Oct. 21, 1782
Captain L. M. schooner Tyger Dec. 11, 1778
Captain privateer ship Junius Brutus Oct. 26, 1781
Captain privateer brigantine Lively Mar. 8, 1783
2nd Lieut, privateer schooner True
American,
Capt. John Buffinton Apr. 29, 1777
Captain privateer schooner Scorpion Feb. 28, 1778
Captain privateer ship Junius Brutus Aug. 23, 1780
Captain privateer ship Junius Brutus Jan. 15, 1782
1st Lieut, privateer ship Oliver Cromwell,
Capt. John Bray Apr. 18, 1781
2nd Mate L. M. brigantine Gen. Wayne,
Capt. John Leach June 17, 1780
Captain L. of M. ship Sally May 3, 1777
Captain privateer brig True American May 20, 1778
Captain privateer ship ikfarguis LaFaydie Mar. 16, 1782
Captain brigantine Union Dec. 1776
Captain L. M. brigantine Hector Mar. 27, 1777
1st Lieut, privateer brigantine Terrible
Creature Mar. 9, 1778
Captain privateer brigantine Lyon June 9, 1778
Captain privateer ship Hector June 22, 1779
Captain privateer brigantine Gen.
Lincoln Aug. 31, 1779
Captain privateer brigantine Mont-
gomery Sept. 12, 1780
Captain privateer ship Porus June 7, 1781
Captain privateer ship Mohock Sept. 6, 1782
1st Lieut, privateer ship Oliver Crom-
well,
Capt. James Barr Aug. 16, 1779
1st Mate L. M. brigantine Defence,
Capt. John Edmonds Mar. 22, 1780
1st Lieut. State brigantine Tryannicide,
Capt. Allen Hallet Jan. 4, 1779
Captain State brigantine Tryannicide May 4, 1779
Captain privateer ship Essex May 6, 1780
Captain privateer ship Essex Apr. 14, 1781
Captain L. M. brigantine Tartar Mar. 1, 1782
Captain privateer ship Tartar Jan. 8, 1783
1st Lieut, privateer schooner True Amer-
ican,
Capt. John Buffinton Apr. 29, 1777
1922]
BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION
427
Cole, William
Marblehead
Connollj', Thomas
Salem
Cressy, Samuel
Beverly
Dalling, Thomas
Beverly
Devol, Silas
Dunham, Cornelius
Beverly?
Edmonds, John
Beverly
Ellingwood, Benj.
Beverly
Elhngwood, Joshua
Beverly
Ellingwood, Wilham
Beverly
Elliot, Simon
Pearson, Jesse
Salem
Fearson, John
Salem
Foot, Samuel
Fisher, Joshua
Beverly
Captain privateer schooner Viper
1st Lieut, privateer ship Jack,
Capt. Nathan Brown
Captain privateer schooner True Blue
Captain privateer brigantine Oliver
Cromwell
Captain privateer ship Brutus
Captain privateer brigantine Franklin
1st Lieut, privateer schooner Hope,
Capt. William Woodberry
Sailing master L. M. ship Resource,
Capt. Israel Thorndike
2nd Mate L. M. sliip Resource,
Capt. Richard Ober
Captain L. M. ship Spanish Packet
1st Lieut, privateer ship Franklin,
Capt. Allen Hallet
Captain privateer ship Franklin
Captain privateer schooner Hopewell
Captain privateer ship Cornwall
Captain privateer brigantine Defence
Captain privateer brigantine Defence
Captain L. M. schooner Friendship
Captain L. M. brigantine Sebastian
Captain L. M. brigantine Active
Captain L. M. brigantine Active
Captain L. M. brigantine Ceres
Captain L. M. brigantine Mars
Captain L. M. schooner Valiant
Captain schooner Industry
1st Mate L. M. brigantine Saratoga,
Capt. Eleazer Giles
1st Lieut. Marquis La Fayette
Captain privateer schooner Sweit
Captain privateer brigantine Fortune
Captain privateer brigantine Cato
Captain privateer ship Buccanier
1 st Lieut, privateer brig Eagle,
Capt. William Groves
Ist Lieut, privateer schooner Warren,
Capt. John Ravell
Surgeon on a Marblehead vessel
Apr.
14,
1778
July
1,
17S0
Aug.
29,
1776
Apr.
29,
1777
July
10,
1781
Apr.
20,
1778
Oct.
13,
1778
June 21,
1780
Sept.
7,
1780
Feb.
25,
1782
June 29,
1781
Dec.
16,
1781
July
26,
1782
Jan.
17,
1778
July
1,
1779
Mar.
24,
1780
Feb.
1,
1778
Sept.
18,
1779
May
6,
1780
July
6,
1780
June
19,
1783
Aug.
10,
1779
June
3,
1780
May
16,
1783
Sept.
4,
1780
1779
Aug.
19,
1779
Apr.
27,
1780
May
28,
1781
Mar.
27,
1782
June
17,
1780
Dec.
3,
1777
428
THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS
[Jan.
Forrester, Simon
Salem
Foster, Edward
Beverly
Foster, Jonathan
Beverly
Foster, Samuel
Beverly
Gage, William
Beverly
Gage, Zachariah
Beverly
Giles, Eleazer
Beverly
Groves, Ichabod
Beverly
Groves, William
Beverly
Hacker, Hoystead
Providence, R. I.
Hallet, John Allen
Boston
Hammond, John
Beverly
Hammond, J. L.
Beverly?
Salem
Captain privateer sloop Rover
Captain privateer ship Cerdurion
Captain privateer ship Jason
Captain privateer ship Patty
Captain privateer ship Exchange
2nd Mate L. M. brigantine Starks,
Capt. Ezra Ober
2nd Mate L. M. brigantine Fanny,
Capt. Herbert Woodberry
1st Mate L. IM. brigantine Freedom,
Capt. Benj. Ober
Captain L. M. sloop Fish Hawk '
Captain privateer Fish Hawk
Captain privateer schooner Surprise
Captain privateer schooner Penguin
2nd Mate L. M. snow Diana,
Capt. William Herrick
Captain L. M. brig Chance
Captain privateer brigantine Retaliation
Captain L. M. snow Cato
Captain L. M. brigantine Saratoga
Captain L. M. ship Sebastian
Captain privateer schooner Blackbird
Captain L. M. brigantine Success
Captain L. M. sloop Fish Hawk
Captain L. M. brig Eagle
Captain privateer ship Buccanier
Captain privateer schooner Sturdy
Beggar
Captain L. M. State sloop Republic
Captain privateer brigantine Sfarks
Captain privateer brigantine America
Captain State brigantine Tryannicide
Captain State brig Active
Captain privateer brig Phoenix
Captain L. M. ship Tartar
Captain privateer ship Franklin
Captain L. M. brig Minerva
1st Mate L. M. brigantine Active,
Capt. Benj. Ellingwood
3rd Mate privateer ship Pilgrim,
Capt. Joseph Robinson
July
17,
1776
Jan.
4,
1780
June
8,
1780
Sept.
29,
1781
Feb.
12,
1782
Sept.
20,
1779
Aug.
22,-
'1780
Sept.
11,
1780
Nov.
30,
1779
May
2,
1781
Aug.
23,
1781
May
7,
1782
Sept.
19,
1780
1781
Sept.
4,
1776
Sept.
18,
1779
Sept.
4,
1780
Aug.
21,
1780
Aug.
6,
1777
Jan.
4,
1779
Sept.
1,
1779
June 17,
1780
Aug.
3,
1781
Aug.
2,
1776
Dec.
5,
1776
Sept.
12,
1777
Dec.
24,
1777
July
10,
1778
Apr.
30,
1779
Feb.
16,
1780
Aug.
3,
1780
June 22,
1781
Feb.
23,
1782
July
6,
1780
Aug.
2,
1780
1922]
BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION
429
Harris, John
Beverly
Haskell, Robert
Beverly
Hawkins, Abraham
Boston
Herrick, Wilham
Beverly
Hill, Hugh
Beverly
Hilton, Henry
Beverly
Holland, William
Beverly
Hooper, John
Marblehead
Howland, Perry
Beverly?
Ives, Benj.
Beverly
James, William
Beverly
Johnson, Israel
Beverly
Knowlton, Joseph
Beverly
Lakeman, Richard
Ipswich
Langdell, Wilham
Beverly
Langden, William ^
?
Larcum, Henry
Beverly
2nd Lieut, privateer brig Eagle June 17, 1780
Captain L. M. sloop Driver 1779
Captain L. M. sloop Betty Sept. 19, 1780
1st Lieut, privateer ship Buccanier,
Capt. Hoystead Hacker Aug. 3, 1781
Ist Lieut. State brigantine Despatch,
Capt. Stephen Cleveland 1776
Captain L. M. snow Diana Sept. 19, 1780
Captain privateer ship Pilgrim ,Sept. 12, 1778
Captain L. M. ship Cicero Jan. 15, 1782
1st Mate schooner Alert,
Capt. Jacob Oliver 1779
Captain privateer schooner Hope 1777
Captain privateer schooner Hawk Nov. 1, 1779
2nd Lieut, privateer schooner True Blue,
Capt. Wilham Cole Aug. 29, 1776
2nd Lieut. State brigantine Freedom,
Capt. John Clouston Feb. 19, 1777
1st Lieut, privateer ship Pilgrim Sept. 12, 1778
Captain privateer schooner Scorpion Sept. 28, 1779
Captain privateer schooner Scorpion Mar. 18, 1779
Captain L. M. brigantine Fortune July 3, 1781
Lieut, privateer brigantine Favorite,
Capt. Wilham Patterson No date
Captain privateer schooner Adventure May 16, 1780
Captain privateer schooner Lee Sept. 6, 1782
Captain L. M. brigantine Fox July 18, 1780
Captain L. M. brigantine Swift Oct. 20, 1781
Captain L. M. ship Fox May 9, 1782
Captain privateer schooner Dolphin July 14, 1781
Captain L. M. schooner Diana Aug. 20, 1781
Captain L. M. ship Content 1777
Captain privateer Centipede May 14, 1778
Captain L. M. brigantine Union Jan. 23, 1779
Captain L. M. ship Success May 1777
Captain privateer schooner Cent-Pied Dec. 23, 1777
1st Mate privateer schooner Scorpion,
Capt. Benj. Ives June 16, 1778
' There is some confusion between the names Langdell and Langden which
the writer has been unable to unravel.
430
THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS
[Jan.
Minot, James
Boston
Morgan, William
Beverly
Sept.
28,
1776
Apr.
24,
1777
June
17,
1780
1781
Sept.
9,
1778
Dec.
20,
1779
May
23,
1780
Oct.
16,
1778
Aug.
7,
1782
Oct.
29,
1776
Apr.
29,
1777
Aug.
20,
1777
Feb.
22
1777
Feb.
is'.
1779
Oct.
16,
1779
Mar.
6.
1782
Oct. 3, 1776
Captain privateer schooner Dolphin
Captain privateer sloop Trenlon
Captain privateer brigantine Gen. Wayne
Captain L. M. brig Fanny
Captain privateer schooner Swett
Captain privateer brigantine Lively
Captain privateer ship Junius Brutus
Captain privateer brigantine Franklin
Captain L. M. St. Mary's Packet
Captain L. M. schooner Valiant
Sailing master privateer schooner Warren,
Capt. Israel Thorndike
2nd Lieut, schooner Warren,
Capt. Israel Thorndike
Captain privateer schooner Sturdy
Beggar
Sailing master State brig Tyrannicide,
Capt. Jonathan Harraden
Captain L. M. ship Sebastian
Captain L. M. ship Rambler
Captain L. M. ship Rambler
1st Lieut, privateer brig Washington,
Capt. Elias Smith
2nd Lieut, privateer ship Essex,
Capt. John Cathcart
Captain privateer ship Shaker
Captain privateer schooner Hancock
Captain Continental frigate Hancock
Captain privateer ship Cumberland
Captain privateer ship Jason
Captain frigate Hague
2nd Mate State brig Tyrannicide,
Capt. Jonathan Harraden
1st Lieut, privateer schooner Scorpion,
Capt. John Brooks
Captain privateer sloop Fly
1st Lieut, privateer brigantine Neptune,
Capt. John Ashton
Surgeon privateer ship Franklin,
Capt. Allen Hallet
Gunner privateer schooner Resolution,
Capt. Samuel Trask
Master privateer schooner Resolution,
Capt. Amos Potter
Captain privateer schooner Resolution
^ Boston, Beverlj', and Salem are all given as the residence of a John Leach,
and it is difficult to distinguish between them.
Leach, John
Beverly
Leach, John
Salem
Leach, John Jr.^
Leach, Nathan
Lee, John
Lefavour, Philip
Marblehead
Lovett, Benj.
Beverly
Lovett, James
Beverly
Manly, John
Beverly
Marblehead
Marsh, John
Beverly
June
12,
1780
Feb.
26,
1783
Jan.
1,
1776
Apr.
17,
1776
Dec.
19,
1778
June
2
1779
Sept.
11,
1782
Feb. 24, 1777
Feb. 25,
1778
Aug. 29,
1778
Aug. 5,
1779
June 26,
1781
Oct. 11,
1780
Apr. 5,
1781
May 18,
1781
1922]
BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTIOX
431
Moses, Benj. Master State brig Tyrannicide,
Salem Capt. John Fiske Oct. 26, 1776
2nd Lieut. State brigantine Tyrannicide,
Capt. Jonathan Harraden Mar. 10, 1777
2nd Lieut, jirivateer ship Pilgrim,
Capt. Hugh Hill Sept. 12, 1778
Newman, Robert Captain L. M. schooner Adventure Sept. 8, 1779
Niles, Benj. Captain privateer schooner Scorpion June 16, 1778
Ober, Benj. Captain L. M. brigantine Freedom Sept. 7, 1780
Beverly Captain L. M. schooner Hawk
Ober, Ezra 1st Lieut, privateer sloop Fly,
Beverly Capt. John Marsh Aug. 29, 1778
Captain privateer brigantine Slarks Sept. 20, 1779
Captain privateer brigantine Starks July 14, 1780
Ober, Israel Captain L. M. sloop Fish Hawk Sept. 1, 1780
Beverly
Obeir, Israel F. Captain L. M. sloop Little Vincent Dec. 4, 1781
Ober, James 2nd Mate L. M. brigantine Freedom
Beverly Capt. Benjamin Ober Sept. 17, 1781
Ober, John 1st Lieut, privateer brig Washington,
Beverly ^ Capt. Ogilby May 8, 1777
Ober, Nathaniel 1st Mate L. M. sloop Fish Hawk,
Beverly Capt. Samuel Foster Nov. 20, 1777
Ober, Nicholas Prize Master brig Saratoga,
Capt. Eleazer Giles Sept. 4, 1780
Ober, Richard Captain privateer snow Fanny Jan. 15, 1778
Beverly 1st Mate L. M. brigantine Starks,
Capt. Ezra Ober Sept. 20, 1779
1st Mate L. M. ship Resource,
Capt. Israel Thorndike June 12, 1780
Captain ship Resovrce Sept. 7, 1780
Captain L. M. brigantine Fortune Nov. 7, 1781
Ober, William 1st Mate L. M. ship Rambler,
Beverly Capt. Benjamin Lovett 1780
Ogliby (Ogleeby), 2nd Lieut. State schooner Hancock,
Nicholas Capt. John Manly Jan. 1, 1776
Marblehead 1st Lieut, privateer schooner Warren,
Capt. Israel Thorndike Oct. 30, 1776
Captain privateer schooner Warren Apr. 30, 1777
Captain privateer brig Washington Nov. 18, 1777
Captain privateer brigantine Bellona Jan. 2, 1778
Captain priYnteeThvigantine Blinker Hill Nov. 8,1778
2nd Lieut, privateer ship Thomas,
Capt. Richard Cowell Sept. 14, 1780
432
THE COLONIAL SOGIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS
[Jan.
Oliver, Jacob
Beverly
Captain privateer schooner Hammond
1st Lieut, privateer sloop Gates
1st Lieut, privateer sloop Bowdoin
Captain privateer schooner Alert
Master ship Eagle,
Capt. WilHam Groves
1st Lieut, brig New Adventure,
Capt. John Neil
Captain privateer ship Scourge
1st Mate L. RL brigantine Saratoga,
Capt. Eleazer Giles
Captain privateer schooner Spring Bird
Captain privateer brig Spit-Fire
Captain privateer brig Active
Payne (Pain), Edward 1st Mate L. M. ship Count D'Estaing,
Enghsh Capt. Elias Smith
Parker, Timothy
Norwich, Conn.
Parsons, Thomas
Gloucester
Patten, John
Beverly
Porter, John
Beverh' or
Danvers
Potter, Abijah
Boston
Potter, Amos
Boston
Proctor, John
Marblehead
Quatermass, Richard
Beverly
Ravell, John
Salem
Richardson, Robert
Salem
Richerson, Philip
Beverly
Captain L. M. brig Experiment
Captain privateer schooner Fox
1st Lieut, privateer ship Franklin,
Capt. Allen Hallet
1st Lieut, privateer schooner Resolution,
Capt. Samuel Trask
Captain privateer schooner Resolution
Captain privateer brigantine Prospect
Captain privateer lugger Dreadnought
Captain privateer sloop Revenge
2nd Lieut, privateer brig Retaliation,
Capt. Eleazer Giles
Sailing master State brigantine Freedom,
Capt. John Clouston
1st Lieut, privateer brig Rambler
Captain L. M. brigantine St arks
Captain L. M. brigantine Starks
Captain L. M. brigantine Gen. Wayne
Captain L. M. schooner Success
Captain privateer schooner Warren
Captain privateer sloop Morning Star
Captain L. M. schooner Polly
Captain privateer Terrible Creature
Saihng master privateer brig Eagle,
Capt. William Groves
Dec. 10, 1777
Jan. 23, 1778
July 2, 1778
1779
June 17, 1780
1781
May 26, 1781
Sept.~ 4, 1780
Mar. 30, 1779
Apr. 4, 1780
Apr. 9, 1781
Aug. 22, 1780
Mar. 30, 1779
Nov. 15, 1782
June 26, 1781
Oct. 11, 1780
Mar. 31, 1781
Oct. 4, 1781
May 11, 1782
Feb. 4, 1783
Sept. 4, 1776
Feb.
Sept.
Dec.
Oct.
Feb.
May
Dec.
Sept.
Dec.
Mar.
4, 1777
2, 1779
8, 1777
6, 1778
3, 17S0
6, 1779
3, 1777
25, 1780
11, 1782
9, 1778
June 17, 1780
1922]
BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION
433
Robinson, Joseph
Salem
Ryan, William
Marblehead
Sellman, J.
Marblehead
Simmons, Thomas
Salem
Smith, EUas
Beverly
Smith, Ezra
Beverly
Stephenson, David
Marblehead
Stephens, Thomas
Beverly
Stevens, John
Marblehead
Stone, Samuel
Beverly
Sugden, George
Beverlv
Master's mate State brigantine Massa-
chusetts,
Capt. John Fisk Mar. 17, 1777
Master State brigantine Massachusetts,
Capt. John Fisk July 31, 1777
Captain privateer brigantine Pluto Nov. 13, 1777
Captain privateer brigantine Franklin Mar. 30, 1779
Captain privateer ship Pilgrim Aug. 2, 1780
Captain privateer ship Pilgrim Aug. 14, 1781
Captain privateer ship Pilgrim Nov. 20, 1781
2nd Lieut, privateer schooner Warren,
Capt. Israel Thorndike Oct. 29, 1776
1st Lieut, privateer schooner Warren,
Capt. Nicholas Ogleeby Apr. 29, 1777
1st Lieut, brig Washington,
Capt. Nicholas Ogleeby Nov. 18, 1777
2nd Lieut, privateer brig Franklin,
Capt. Joseph Robinson Apr. 20, 1780
Captain privateer schooner Lively Dec. 23, 1777
Captain privateer brigantine Oliver
Cromwell July 10, 1778
Captain privateer ship Oliver Cromioell Mar. 29, 1779
Captain privateer ship Grand Turk June 13, 1781
Captain privateer brigantine Ranger Oct. 9, 1781
Captain privateer brig Washington Oct. 3, 1776
Captain privateer ship Black Prince June 17, 1778
Captain L. M, ship Count D'Estaing Aug. 22, 1780
Captain privateer ship Mohock Nov. 20, 1781
2nd Mate L. M. schooner Alert,
Capt. Jacob Oliver 1779
Master privateer schooner Warren,
Capt. Nicholas Ogleeby Apr. 29, 1777
Master privateer brig Washington,
Capt. Nicholas Ogleeby Nov. 18, 1777
1st Lieut, privateer brigantine Bellona Jan. 1, 1778
Captain privateer brigantine Siren July 13, 1781
1st Lieut, privateer brig Retaliation,
Capt. Eleazer Giles Sept. 4, 1776
Captain privateer sloop Bowdoin July 2, 1778
2nd Lieut, privateer schooner Langdon,
Capt. Jacob Oliver Aug. 24, 1776
Captain privateer sloop Satisfaction Nov. 9, 1776
Captain privateer brig Rambler Sept. 2, 1779
1st Mate L. M. brigantine Fanny,
Capt. Herbert Woodberry Aug. 22, 1780
Master's mate privateer ship Pilgrim,
Capt. Joseph Robinson Aug. 14, 1780
434
THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS
[Jan.
Swasey (Swazy),
Nathaniel
Salem or Ipswich
Thomas, William
Thorndike, Andrew
Beverly
Thorndike, Ebenezer
Beverly
Thorndike, Israel
Tittle, John
Beverlv
Trask, Joseph
Beverly?
Tuck, William
Beverly
Turner, John
Salem
Vickory, John
Beverly
Warren, Benj.
Salem
Webb, Stephen
Beverly
2nd Lieut, privateer schooner Success,
Capt. Philip trask Sept. 3, 1778
1st Lieut, privateer brig Defence,
Capt. John Edmonds July 6, 1779
Captain privateer brig Active Dec. 16, 17S0
Master L. M. schooner True American,
Capt. John Buffinton Apr. 29, 1777
2nd Lieut, privateer ship Gen. Putnam,
Capt. Daniel Waters July 6, 1779
2nd Mate L. M. ship Resource,
Capt. Israel Thorndike Apr. 29, 1777
1st Mate ship Resource,
Capt. Richard Ober Sept. 7, 1780
Captain L. M. brigantine Saratoga June 16, 1781
1st Lieut, privateer schooner Hanvmond,
Capt. Jacob Oliver
Captain privateer schooner Warren
1st Lieut. State brigantine Tyrannicide,
Capt. Jonathan HaiTaden
Captain privateer schooner Scorpion
Captain L. M. ship Resource
Captain L. M. brigantine Saratoga
Captain L. M. ship Marquis La Fayette
Captain L. M. brigantine Sun'ft
Captain L. M. ship Cato
Captain privateer schooner Resolution
Captain L. M. schooner Buckram
2nd Lieut, privateer brig Washington,
Capt. Elias Smith
Captain privateer Bennington
Captain L. M. ship Lyon
Captain privateer ship Franklin
Master privateeer brig Washington,
Capt. Elias Smith
Captain privateer sloop Revenge
Captain privateer brigantine Hampden
Captain privateer brigantine Lyon
1st Lieut, privateer schooner Modesty
2nd Lieut, privateer ship Pilgrim
1st Lieut, privateer sloop Potty
Capt. L. M. brigantine Saratoga
Capt. L. M. ship Commerce
Dec. 10, 1777
Oct. 30, 1776
Mar. 10, 1777
Nov. 8, 1777
June 12, 1780
July 1, 1778
Nov. 23, 1779
June 5, 1781
Nov. 20, 1781
Dec. 6, 1782
Aug. 22, 17S2
Oct. 3, 1776
May 6, 1779
Mar, 6, 1782
Dee. 2, 1780
Oct. 3, 1776
Sept. 14, 1776
July 5, 1777
Aug. 6, 1779
Aug. 14, 1782
Jan. 21, 1778
Nov. 20, 1779
Jan. 15, 1781
1922]
BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN THE REVOLUTION
435
West, Nathaniel
Salem
West, Samuel
Salem
White, Joseph
Salem
Williams, Theodore
Woodberry, Aea
Beverly
Woodberry, Benj.
Beverly
Woodberry, Herbert
Beverly
Woodljerry, William
Beverly
Woodberry, W., Jr.
4, 1778
1778
7, 1778
3rd Lieut, privateer Terrible Creature,
Capt. Robert Richardson Apr.
Captain privateer Terrible Creature
1st Lieut, privateer schooner l\yal Sept,
2nd Lieut, privateer ship Oliver Cromwell,
Capt. James Barr Aug. 16, 1779
Captain privateer sloop Revenge May 14, 1776
2nd Mate L. M. ship Count D'Estaing,
Capt. Ehas Smith Sept. 14, 1780
Captain L. M. brigantine Swift Jan. 3, 1780
Captain L. M. schooner Swallow 1783
Mate cartel schooner Tryal 1782
Capt. L. M. brigantine Fanny Jan. 14, 1778
Captain privateer brigantine Hope May 28, 1782
Captain privateer brig Hope Oct. 14, 1778
Captain privateer ship Hope June 12, 1780
Captain privateer ship Neptune Sept. 7, 1780
Captain privateer ship Mars
UMASS/B0ST0NU8RAfl,ES
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BEVERLY PRIVATEERS IN AM
REVOLUTION
01?91914
fM^ PRINTED IN U.S.A.
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